HURRICANE IRENE INFORMATION:

HURRICANE IRENE INFORMATION:  UPDATED TO INCLUDE EVACUATIONS

FOLLOWING IS A NEWS RELEASE FROM THE TOWN OF OCEAN CITY, OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REGARDING PREPARATIONS IN THE FACE OF HURRICANE IRENE:

OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND

Contact Information for the Town of Ocean City: 

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT:  410-723-6602

RECORDED INFORMATION LINE:  410-723-6666

FAX:  410-723-6962

 Ocean City Initiates Phase Three of Emergency Plan

Ocean City Emergency Management officials will initiate phase three of the hurricane
action plan in preparation for Hurricane Irene. Phase three will go into effect at
midnight tonight.

Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan has signed a proclamation declaring a local State of
Emergency.

All persons other than identified emergency personnel are ordered to evacuate.
Visitors are asked to return to their principle residences. Ocean City residents are
asked to seek shelter elsewhere.

Utilizing the authority under a local State of Emergency, the Mayor is banning the
sale of all alcohol in Ocean City and requests that all businesses close beginning at
midnight.

All incoming traffic to Ocean City, Maryland, will be limited to emergency personnel.
No other vehicles will be permitted entry to the island, except by approved authority
(Mayor, City Manager and Emergency Services Director).

Ocean City Municipal Transportation System is providing transportation for
special needs individuals. For special needs transportation, please call Ocean City
Transportation at 410-723-1606. International student workforce evacuation continues
and will be completed by tomorrow morning.

The Ocean City Government Cable Access Channel 4, the Ocean City website
www.ocmdemergency.com, recorded emergency management line, 410-723-6666
and Ocean City advisory radio station 1670 AM will remain operational for further
advisories.

Ocean City is expected to receive a significant impact from Hurricane Irene.

Easterly gale force winds should start affecting the area on Saturday, August 27 at 5p.m. with hurricane-force winds arriving around 4 a.m. and lasting for a period of eight
hours. The highest wind speeds from Hurricane Irene should occur near 9 a.m. when
top sustained winds, from the north, could reach 90 mph with gusts near 120 mph.
Winds should decrease below hurricane force shortly thereafter.

Sustained winds will fall below gale force after 3 p.m. and generally be from the north
during this period of decreasing winds. Expect gusts above gale force level for several
more hours thereafter.

The total rainfall for the Ocean City area over the next three days is forecast to be
9.5 inches. This can vary significantly as tropical storm and hurricane rainfall is very
difficult to predict.

Storm surge is expected to be six-feet above normal high tide cycles resulting in
significant flooding in low-lying areas.

 Recorded Storm Updates:
The Town of Ocean City has several resources that will help you keep track of the storm and how it may impact you, whether you are a resident or visitor.  The telephone number for the  Town’s storm update is 410-723-6666.  Keep monitoring the situation, however, so you are informed and prepared.

Hotel Information:
Many of you have reservations already in Ocean City. If you have reservations over the weekend or the days following the storm you are advised to contact your hotel for further instructions.    Check with your hotel directly to see what you need to do.   OceanCity.com’s Hotel Guide has many of the phone numbers you need.  You will need to search for your hotel by clicking on the appropriate alphabet tiles at the top. Once you have located your hotel, click on the “more info” tab at the bottom of the listing.   

This will take you to the hotel detail page where you will fine a “view telephone” link below the logo or photo of your hotel.  

Emergency Preparedness:
There is an excellent article written by Joe Theobald, the Director of Emergency Services for the Town of Ocean City.  If you click on the link above, it will take you to the Town’s site.  This article has the following information in addition to definitions, history, etc.:

• OCEAN CITY EVACUATION PHASES  of which there are 4. WE ARE NOW IN EVACUATION PHASE 3. Keep updated and do exactly as the Town recommends.  We are all here to be sure that you have a wonderful vacation, but everybody’s primary goal is to keep people safe.  

• OCEAN CITY EVACUATION ROUTES Now that an evacuation is actually called for, here are the evacuation routes.

• From 62nd Street area South: South on Coastal Highway over the U.S. Route 50 Bridge.
• From the Delaware Line South: South on Coastal Highway over the Md. Route 90 Bridge.
• From South of North Division Street: North on Baltimore avenue, Left on 1st. Street South on Philadelphia avenue, over the U.S. Route 50 Bridge.
• From 2nd Street to 33rd Street area: One bloc
  k West, South on Philadelphia Ave, over the U.S. Route 50 Bridge.

• IMPORTANT INFORMATION RESOURCES SO YOU CAN STAY INFORMED

Radio Frequencies:

Ocean City Emergency Advisory Radio 1670AM

Scanner Frequencies:

Ocean City Police Patrol North [460.325 MHz]

Ocean City Vol. Fire Co. Dispatch [158.895 MHz]

NOAA Radio Frequency – Salisbury [162.475 MHz]

Emergency Alerting System (EAS)

Worcester County WQHQ FM [104.7 MHz]

Worcester County WSCL FM [89.5 MHz]

Recorded Storm Updates

Call 410-723-6666

The Weather.com site has some good background information on hurricanes and how  the National Hurricane Center defines the storms and issues warnings.  Click here to read about “How Will You Be Warned.”  Another good resource from the Weather Channel website is “Be Prepared in Advance.”  It gives you very good advice about proper planning in the event of a storm.  Remember, it’s not just a Boy Scout adage:  BE PREPARED!