Emergency center ready for storm
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on September 13, 2005 1:52 PM
KENANSVILLE -- Duplin commissioners declared a state of emergency Monday as Tropical Storm Ophelia moved toward the coast.
Duplin Emergency Management Director Craig Forlines has activated the county's Emergency Operating Center and said his staff is making preparations to deal with the storm.
The county expected to open six shelters at 5 p.m. today at North Duplin Elementary, James Kenan High, B.F. Grady Elementary, Chinquapin Elementary, Beulaville Elementary and Wallace Elementary schools.
Forlines said weather forecasts called for 40-mile per hour winds in parts of the county by mid-afternoon.
The winds are expected to increase through the night tonight and be up to 55 miles per hour in the southern end of the county by 8 a.m. Wednesday.
Winds are expected to decrease through Wednesday night and into Thursday, Forlines said.
Forlines urged county residents to make sure they have their hurricane kits prepared with plenty of bottled water, batteries and flash lights to go with them and canned foods. He urged residents to gather portable radios to stay up with weather conditions.
Duplin schools were having a teacher workday today, and a Teacher of the Year banquet set for tonight in Rose Hill was postponed until Monday.