Storm Preparation

Following Governor Larry Hogan’s declaration of a state of emergency across the state of Maryland, Dorchester County and the City of Cambridge are expected to enact their own declarations of emergency Monday in preparation for landfall of Hurricane Florence. Expected landfall for the Category 4 storm is still difficult to predict, but forecasters believe there is potential for life-threatening conditions, flooding, high winds and dangerous conditions in waterways as early as Thursday.

Dorchester County enacted its Emergency Operations Center, effective 8 a.m. Tuesday, and will be managed by its Emergency Services Department until storm preparation and recovery have been completed. The department will receive regular updates from the National Weather Service and work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) to ensure adequate resources throughout the impacts of Florence.

Residents are being encouraged to make a plan, make a kit, stay informed and ‘Know Your Zone.’

• MAKE A PLAN: Despite the uncertain path of Florence, there are a number of preventative measures residents can begin now to ensure the safety of their families and neighbors, as well as the protection of property. You can access a list of suggestions at www.ready.gov/hurricanes.
• MAKE A KIT: You may have thought ahead and purchased supplies, but do you have a manual can opener to use your canned foods if electricity is out? How about a deck of cards to keep your family occupied? Or, emergency medical supplies? You can find a great list at www.ready.gov/build-a-kit.
• STAY INFORMED: Residents are urged to register for Emergency Alerts on the Dorchester County website, or at https://member.everbridge.net/index/892807736724055#/login. They will go through a simple registration process, which will allow them to receive text message or email alerts from Dorchester County Emergency Services. This registration information is private and will only be used to report important emergency information. Information will also be shared on the Facebook pages of Dorchester County Dept. Emergency Services and City of Cambridge Facebook pages as it becomes available.
• KNOW YOUR ZONE: MEMA’s prepared evacuation zones can be found at https://mema.maryland.gov/Pages/know-your-zone-md.aspx. Residents are urged to know which zone in which they reside, as evacuation due to storm surge may reference these zones. Evacuations may include other areas outside of these zones if rain-related flooding or other safety concerns require it, but understanding your proximity to these zones may be important.

If you are in a life threatening situation, please call 911.  To report flooded roadways or downed trees please call 410-228-2222.