Get Ready for Hurricane Season

Hurricane Season: June 1st through November 30th

Hurricanes are giant, spiraling tropical storms that can pack wind speeds of over 160 miles an hour and unleash more than 2.4 trillion gallons of rain a day. Hurricanes begin as tropical disturbances in warm ocean waters with surface temperatures of at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit. These low pressure systems are fed by energy from the warm seas.

Being prepared and having what you need is essential to limiting a hurricane’s impact on you and your family.

Get a Plan

Know whether or not you live in a hurricane evacuation area and know the best route.
- Know Your Zone
- If you are unable to evacuate by yourself or with the help of friends or family, register with the Special Needs Registry online.
Talk to your family, friends, and colleagues about what you will do if a tropical system impacts the City of Norfolk and where you will be.
Secure your home from damaging winds, including having pre-cut plywood for your windows and an easy way of securing them.
Communicate with family during and after the impact of a storm.
Keep in mind that telephone lines and cell phone systems may have limited access or may be overwhelmed and jammed up with callers, so have an out-of-town contact person for each member of your family to check in with.
Know the emergency plans for your workplace and your children’s school; these plans may help you develop your own plan.
Secure your pets and animals; make sure you have extra supplies and a plan for them regarding evacuation and sheltering.

Be Prepared

Disaster Preparedness is a responsibility shared by all. Everyone in the community, regardless of age or ability, should take steps to ensure they are prepared for a disaster individually as well as in their neighborhood, place of work, place of worship, and other activities.

This involves awareness and knowledge of the Team Norfolk plans as well as discussing individual plans with your family. It means sitting down with our children and talking about disasters with the hopes of replacing fear with facts. It’s knowing how to stay informed throughout an incident and also how to engage and help others who might be in need. And it’s all about doing these things now – ahead of the next incident.

Making Realistic Expectations

Incidentally, Team Norfolk Emergency Operations came to the clear realization that preaching disaster preparedness is naïve and unrealistic if folks are unable to meet their most basic needs. In other words, referencing Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, if basic needs are not met, self-fulfillment needs like disaster preparedness will lack as well. As such, we were determined to better understand the reasons why individuals and families were unable to take steps to prepare, and thus create a list of resources to help them along the way.

Encouraging Using All Resources

This list is not all-exhaustive; rather, it is a living list of those resources and programs of which we’re aware. Likewise, the City of Norfolk does not promote one non-city resource over another. Individuals interested are encouraged to conduct their own research to determine the best fit. If you are aware of a resource not currently listed, please let us know by emailing Karen Lovely or calling 757-441-5600!

Norfolk Community Partner Resource Guide Books

Information from the City of Norfolk Website.

News & Resources

General Members Meeting | October 14, 2024

On Monday, October 14th, starting at 6:30 PM, we were joined by Super Ward 6 School Board Candidates Rebecca Topping and Sarah DiCalogero (represented by her husband and campaign Treasurer, Darren Wesley).

General Members Meeting | September 9, 2024

On Monday, September 9th, starting at 6:00 PM, we took a field trip to Elizabeth River Project’s new Ryan Resilience Lab located at 4160 Colley Avenue. From 6 pm to 636 pm, Brandon from Electrified Marina brought two of their fan tail boats to the dock behind Ryan Resilience Lab for attendees to enjoy 15 min rides to the Granby Street bridge and back while learning more about Electrified Marina and their electric watercraft. Starting just before 6:40 pm we began the general session meeting with a report from our Community Resource Officer, and a few updates from the board. The night culminated with an engaging and informative walking tour of the new Ryan Resilience Lab hosted by Jamie Melvin from Elizabeth River Project, accompanied by a Q&A session throughout the tour.