Onslow shelters will open at 1 p.m. Friday

The Red Cross will open six shelters in Onslow County on Friday in advance of the expected landfall of Tropical Storm Hanna on Friday night.

The shelters will open at 1 p.m. and are located at Dixon Middle School, Swansboro High School, Richlands High School, Southwest Middle School, Jacksonville Commons Middle School and White Oak High School. They will be able to accommodate a total of about 2,400 people.

"We do have overflow shelters in case those are not big enough," said Margaret Idol, disaster director for the Onslow County Chapter of the American Read Cross.

The overflow shelters - which have not yet been opened - are Dixon High School, Blue Creek Elementary School, Richlands Elementary School and Queens Creek Elementary School, which will hold a combined 1,165 people.

"So it should be able to take care of everybody who comes and probably not that many will ever show up," Idol said.

The only shelter that accepts animals is Jacksonville Commons Middle School. The pet shelter is operated by the Onslow County Animal Response Team and is limited to domestic pets. Pets must be in carriers, have proof of current vaccinations and be accompanied by their owners.

Three shelters are located aboard Camp Lejeune: Camp Lejeune High School, Tarawa Terrance II Elementary School and Brewster Middle School. Pregnant women over 36 weeks, women with infants and individuals with medical conditions should use the Camp Lejeune High School shelter. No time has been announced for when those shelters will open.

Families and individuals relocating to shelters are advised to bring basic emergency and personal items like pillows and other bedding items, toothbrushes and toothpaste, essential medications, extra clothing and quiet toys or activities for children. Medications requiring refrigeration should be brought in a cooler or thermos.

The Red Cross provides three meals a day and snacks to those staying at their shelters.

Cots and floor mats for sleeping are available on a limited basis and priority will be given to the elderly and those who cannot get down on the floor first, Idol said.

The Salvation Army will be providing food at the Sneads Ferry Food Lion, and possibly at the Salvation Army office on Bell Fork Road in Jacksonville, as soon as the storm has passed. They are prepared to serve 1,000 people per day per location. Additional locations will be opened if necessary.

"We're pretty ready. This is a good drill for us, seeing as it's probably not going to be a catastrophic storm," said Joe Mure, captain of the Jacksonville Salvation Army. "We've got generators, we've got everything we need to set up... We're in good shape. We've been preparing right along."

The Salvation Army will also have its canteen, a mobile stainless steel restaurant, driving around to feed people on location.

"If (you're) hungry come on up and we'll feed ya," Mure said. "Especially people that are working to clean up their property."

Contact Jacksonville/Onslow government reporter Molly DeWitt at 910-219-8455.

Be prepared

Preparing for a hurricane or tropical storm before it hits is essential. Here is a list of items recommended to have on hand:

• Two gallons of water per person per day for at least four days
• Canned, ready to eat food and juices and a non-electric can opener
• Foods for infants, elderly or people with special food needs
• Food and water for pets
• Gas tank for grill, extra bags of charcoal or propane bottles for camp stoves
• Prescription medicines in sufficient quantity to last through the forecast conditions
• Personal hygiene and feminine supplies
• Plastic bucket with a tight-fitting lid or a portable toilet
• Diapers
• Bleach and soap
• Sturdy shoes or work boots
• Rain gear
• Blankets and sleeping bags
• Mess kits, paper cups, plates, plastic utensils, plastic garbage bags
• Battery-operated radio, flashlights and extra batteries
• Plastic drop cloths for temporary roof repair or to prevent water damage to the interior of home
• Tubs, buckets, plastic containers to contain water from leaks
• Matches and candles in waterproof containers; hurricane lamp, fuel and wicks
• Wrenches and pliers to shut off water or gas; hammer, nails for temporary repairs
• Leather gloves, shovel, rake and pitchfork to handle yard debris
• Chainsaw, ax or pruning saws, twine
• CB or cell phone for two-way communication
• Camera and film
• Personal insect repellent, bug spray, and/or Citronella candles or mosquito coils
• Duct, electrical and masking tape