HURRICANE EARL: Clean-up crews: ‘We're as ready as we can be'

As Hurricane Earl approaches, efforts for clean-up are already under way.

City and state crews are prepared to tidy up whatever Earl tosses their way, including the effects of localized flooding and downed tree limbs.

“Number one, we’re preparing ahead to make sure our equipment is all ready, and any supplies we’ll need … so as soon as the storm passes, we can get to work,” said David Aycock, of New Bern’s public works department.

Public works officials will prioritize clean-up projects and clear debris in that priority order, he said. Mostly, he expects that weakened or dead limbs and diseased, weakened trees may pose the greatest nuisances.

“We expect a number of calls on those,” Aycock said.

Additionally, crews will conduct a systematic search of the city, looking for problem areas. Emergency agencies also keep the public works department informed. The city crews focus on cleaning up city streets and facilities, he said.

“We will have our parks people involved,” Aycock said. “They’ll first assist us if we have an abundance of issues on city streets and right-of-ways.”

The approximately 700 miles of state-maintained roads in Craven County provide a potentially bigger job for local N.C. Department of Transportation crews. The area office also cares for state roads in Pamlico County.

“If and when we start getting those calls, I’m just bring everybody in,” said Gordy Eure, N.C. DOT’s county maintenance engineer.

By Wednesday, the state crews had made sure all equipment was in proper working order, completed an inventory on tools like chain saws, and checked all the personal protective gear, he said.

“We’re as ready as we can be,” Eure said.

The state department’s plan also includes prioritization, but to clear all roadways in the shortest amount of time, crews use what Eure called a cut-and-shove method. Crews cut the debris, like fallen tree limbs, into small enough pieces to drag off the shoulder of the road. Later, when the urgency has passed, crews go by to clean up the debris left off to the side.

DOT employees also pre-programmed electronic road signs to warn motorists of flooded streets and closed roads and will place those signs wherever necessary, Eure said. He also offered a tool for motorists to check their route prior to heading out the door.

“We do have a Web site that provides traffic information and road closures,” he said.

That Web site is at ncdot.org. Visitors should click on the travel information link then select from a list of regional and county options. The county link, for example, will show all closed state roadways within the county.

Individuals looking for private tree limb clean up may need a bit of luck. Representatives of several such companies were apparently out in the field on Wednesday and unable to answer their phones. One company’s message greeting announced that they were booked solid and would be open to accept new appointments beginning on Sept. 13.

P. Christine Smith can be reached at 252-635-5666 or pcsmith@freedomenc.com.