The federal organization has a support base set up in Fort Bragg with generators, tarps, water, food and baby formula. They are working closely with North Carolina's emergency management director and will support the state if federal assistance is needed.
FEMA said local officials will determine impacts of Irene and will make decisions if evacuations are needed. They said storm surge is the principal threat for evacuations, though wind and rain can still reach inland areas.
If you live in an evacuation zone, be familiar with the evacuation routes and have a place to go. Make sure to have plans set in place before an evacuation is issued.
Bill Reid with NOAA Hurricane Center said Irene became well organized overnight and has reached maximum speeds of 115 mph.
He said the next big challenge is the path Irene takes as it exits the Bahamas. Reid said Carolinas is the next threatened area, with the center of the storm passing over the Outer Banks, likely Saturday evening. Irene is growing in size, and residents in the Carolinas could see winds as early as Saturday morning.
During the call, FEMA talked about quick lessons learned from the earthquake in Virginia that shook much of the country Tuesday afternoon. Mobile phones became a big tool in communicating information and contacting loved ones during the event. Even though many people couldn't make calls, they used text messages, emails and Facebook to communicate with others.
If power is lost during Hurricane Irene, WECT will continue to provide updates and reports using social media outlets, text messages, and emails. Click here to learn how you can stay connected with WECT during the storm.
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