DARE COUNTY, N.C. - With Dare County in the potential path for Hurricane Matthew, officials are urging residents to get ready now for the storm.
Dare County is one of 66 counties in North Carolina under a State of Emergency ahead of the storm. Governor Pat McCrory made that declaration Monday.
According to emergency officials, they are preparing for the Outer Banks to receive impacts from the storm, however the exact impacts are still unknown at this point.
"People need to be prepared. They need to be thinking about the storm as a serious threat. It is even if it tracks inland or it goes offshore we are still going to see impacts here in Dare County," Dare County Emergency Management Director Drew Pearson told News 3's Todd Corillo Tuesday afternoon.
A local State of Emergency was also issued for Dare County and all six towns following a meeting of the Dare County Control Group Tuesday afternoon. The emergency declarations allow local officials to implement protective measures – including issuance of mandatory evacuation orders - that may be necessary as the hurricane approaches.
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Among the measures residents are asked to take: ensuring emergency kits are properly stocked and that family emergency plans are ready if they become necessary.
If you or someone you know has special medical needs and may need assistance during an emergency, you're asked to call the Dare County Department of Health & Human Services, Social Services Division at 252-475-5500 to register.
