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August 3, 2009
By Mike Qualls
The Monroe Journal
 Just before 2 a.m. on Sept. 16 Hurricane Ivan made landfall at Gulf Shores as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds at 130 mph and before it ended its trek across the southeast 123 people had lost their lives, according to officials with the Nation Weather Center (NWC).
Ivan laid many counties in southwest Alabama in waste, including Monroe County, which had not seen a hurricane like Ivan in 25 years.
While everyone who was affected by Ivan in
some form or fashion haven’t forgotten how
life threatening and disruptive a hurricane
can be, some feel people have become too
complacent.
Tommy Booker, director of the Monroe County Emergency Management Agency (MCEMA), said every citizen should be as prepared as possible.
“After a storm forms it could be only a few days or less before it makes landfall in the Gulf Coast area,” he said. “If there’s a last minute rush on the stores to get necessary supplies, a lot of people could find themselves looking at empty shelves.”
According the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), every household should have enough supplies such as food and water to last 72 hours,” he said. “After a storm makes landfall, it could be as long as 72 hours (three days) before FEMA can get supplies here.”
Booker said the worst people can do is to wait until the last minute to prepare for a hurricane. He said persons, who use the Internet can visit the MCEMA Website at
www.monroeema.com.
“If people want to receive updates from us in their emails, they can go to our Website and enter their email address and when we send out a mass email update, they’ll get it, also,” he said.
Booker said J.T. Johnston, who is one of several ham radio operators in the county, manages the MCEMA Website and handles press releases for public officials and the media.
Persons who need assistance submitting their emails can contact Mike Stoops, an administrative assistant in the MCEMA office, at 743-3259 or email him at
info@monroeema.com, Booker said.
Booker said presently there are just two buildings designated as Red Cross certified storm shelters in Monroe County. They are the Anne H. Farish Senior Center and Monroe County High School. Both are located in Monroeville.
He said there are many other buildings in the county that are considered to be “limited stay” shelters. He added that some private shelters may also open and some church’s may open as shelters.
Booker pointed out that the county has a “very limited” amount of food and water stored, which was left from Ivan.
“FEMA will use Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery as a staging area for supplies, which could mean we may not get the supplies within 72 hours if the storm heads toward Montgomery after it come through the county,” said Booker. “FEMA will provide ice, if needed, but it will be delivered after the food and water. It’s too costly for FEMA to preload trucks with ice and have them on standby. Ice will be a premium price, if you have to buy it. I suggest you store as much water and ice as possible now.”
Booker said everyone must plan as if a storm is going to hit Monroe County before the season ends in November.
“Planning for the worst is good even though it may not happen this season,” he said.
Officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) say there is a 70 percent chance there will be nine to 14 named storms this season, which continues through November. They predict at least seven storms could become hurricanes and at least three could be major, Category 3, 4 or 5, hurricanes. |