Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic ordered all Navy installations in the Hampton Roads area to set Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness Two (II) as Hurricane Florence is forecast to bring high winds and rain to the Mid-Atlantic coast.
Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness II means destructive winds of greater than 50 knots associated with a tropical system are expected within 24 hours, according to the Navy
Navy preparations include:
- Securing hazards and buildings throughout the installations
- Protecting essential equipment
- Moving small craft to safe havens
- Preparing sandbags
- Removing debris from drainage areas
- Removing large items from the waterfront, such as dumpsters and vehicles
“Our team at Navy Region Mid-Atlantic has been working around the clock to provide support to both our military and civilian personnel, as well as their families, to insure their safety during this very stressful time,” said the commander of Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, Rear Adm. Charles Rock. “In addition, it’s equally important that we are able to recover as quickly as possible after the storm passes to support the fleet when they return.”
To date, mandatory evacuations have been authorized for the following areas: Virginia Zone A, which includes the following Navy/Public Private Venture (PPV) housing areas: Dam Neck Annex (all residential and recreational housing), Lafayette River Annex (PPV housing), Norfolk Naval Shipyard (PPV housing), Willoughby Bay (PPV housing), Portsmouth Annex (PPV housing); and the following North Carolina counties: Beaufort County, Brunswick County, Carteret County, Craven County, Currituck County (which includes Corolla and Carova); Dare County, Hyde County, New Hanover County, Onslow County, Pamlico County, and Tyrell County.
Military personnel, their families, and federal employees should contact their respective commands for specific manning information and are encouraged to stay tuned to local television and radio stations for updated information and visit www.knowyourzoneva.org to identify the zone they reside in, the Navy said.
All personnel and their families should review their Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System (NFAAS) account at https://navyfamily.navy.mil, as well as review hurricane checklists and evacuation plans in the event an evacuation is necessary.
It is also advised for personnel and their families to visit the Ready Navy website at http://ready.navy.mil and/or follow them on Twitter at @ReadyNavy. Ready Navy is designed to provide information, tools, and resources that empower the Navy family to more aptly prepare for, react, and recover when faced with any emergency, with or without advanced warning.
Navy Marine Corps Relief Society offices will remain open in Hampton Roads for as long as feasible to support active duty personnel and their families with evacuation assistance loans. Personnel or family members should bring a current I.D. card and Leave and Earnings Statement, if available. Because of the sortie of ships and personnel, the active duty member is not required to be present for NMCRS to assist the family. For information on office locations go to www.nmcrs.org.
Look to the following resources and critical processes to help you prepare and stay informed for any hazard:
- Navy Region Mid-Atlantic’s Facebook at www.facebook.com/CNRMA.PAO
- General resources including the Internet, local/national television and radio, and social media.
- Government websites such as Ready.gov, FEMA.gov, NOAA.gov, and CDC.gov.
