Local church helps educate people on hurricane preparation

NAVASSA, N.C. (WECT) - Mt. Calvary AME Church held a hurricane prep class to help better educate community members on all the things that can happen when a severe storm hits.

Hurricane season runs through the beginning of June until the end of November. Steven Pfaff works as a warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service.

Pfaff said September is the peak of hurricane season, and it’s important for everyone to be well informed. He wanted event goers to know that having the right information during hurricane season is vital.

“First and foremost, the amount of misinformation that is available on social media, you have to be very careful where you get the information from so we always point people towards our local media partners, local emergency management, the Red Cross National Weather Service and the Hurricane Center. Expect misinformation before, during and after storms,” said Pfaff.

He said many people also make the mistake of driving during or after hurricanes. Pfaff wants people to know that driving in flooded areas can lead to unwanted problems.

" Everybody’s concerned about the wind and the surge, which that’s very important. But when you look at the statistics, most of our hurricane related fatalities are people that drive into an area where there’s flash flooding. The weight of the vehicle, collapses the road, or it pushes the car off the roadway. And then you know, unfortunately, we see this time and time again. Turn around, don’t drown find another way to go,” said Pfaff.

He said, it is important for people to be aware of their surroundings before, during, and after a storm to protect themselves and those around them.

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