Saying that it has, thus far, been a quiet hurricane season, is probably tempting fate, but there you have it.

    Of course, Southeast Virginia’s hurricane season doesn’t traditionally begin until September and runs through October so, it would be accurate to say that we have only just begun the period in which we could get slammed by wind and tide.

    And this by way of encouraging Isle of Wight and Surry residents to be prepared for the next six weeks or so.

    Do your flashlights have fresh batteries? Will the small, home generator you bought some years ago fire up when you need it? Are your vehicle kept fueled in the event you need them during a power outage?

    Storing some bottled water in the house can be beneficial in a power outage and, of course, canned food that doesn’t need refrigeration is always a good idea.

    Beyond laying in supplies, do you know where Isle of Wight and Surry counties’ emergency shelters are located? Just for the record, Isle of Wight operates shelters at Smithfield Middle School, Windsor High School and Carrollton Elementary School.

 

    Surry’s primary shelter is located at LP. Jackson Middle School. Its secondary shelter is located at Surry County High School and a third, it becomes necessary, is operated at Surry Elementary School. All three are located west of Elberon.

    In both counties, the shelters are opened when it appears a serious storm is imminent and kept open until the threat passes.

    Isle of Wight also maintains an IWAlert emergency notification system. The program enables the county to provide residents with critical information quickly in a variety of situations, such as severe weather, unexpected road closures, missing persons and evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods.

    People who were signed up for the IWAlert program prior to April 1, 2014, need to renew their subscriptions in order to receive emergency notifications and to take advantage of the system’s new enhanced features.

    To subscribe, visit Isle of Wight County’s website at http://www.co.isle-of-wight.va.us, scroll to the bottom of the home page and click on IWAlert.