NC Disaster Recovery And Emergency Aid Efforts

October 2020

FEMA announced the release of federal funds to supplement state and local money aimed at helping local governments and some private nonprofits in Beaufort, Bertie, Brunswick, Carteret, Chowan, Columbus, Craven, Hertford, Hyde, Jones, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender and Pitt counties for emergency repairs to infrastructure after Hurricane Isaias.

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August 9, 2020

The The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is reporting that a 5.1 magnitude earthquake caused minor damage in Sparta NC on Sunday. This earthquake is the 2nd largest in North Carolina history with the largest being a 5.2 magnitude in 1916.

The rumbling from this earthquake was felt as far away as Virginia and Tennessee. Additionally, several smaller magnitude shocks were reported on August 10, 2020.

NC Governor Roy Cooper is said to be processing paperwork to declare a state of emergency in the area of Sparta NC and surrounding counties.

August 1, 2020

The concept of how to provide emergency sheltering while mandating mask wearing and social distancing during weather events such as tropical storms and hurricanes is proving to be complex in the age of the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic.

During the weekend of August 1st as Hurricane Isaias brought the realization that public shelters might be needed to help vulnerable populations during the storm, a never before dealt with complication on how to do that safely amidst a public health crisis is plaguing county emergency management officials in Eastern NC coastal regions at this time.

August 1, 2020

On Saturday, August 1, 2020, NC Governor Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency related to Category 1 storm Hurricane Isaias that likely will affect all of Eastern NC with wind, rain, storm surge, falling trees, and flooding. The emergency declarations on COVID-19 Coronavirus remain in effect.

The weather declaration will allow counties in Eastern NC to ramp up and respond to public needs for any inclement weather using emergency operations. Hurricane or Tropical Storm Isaias likely will have impacts on Eastern NC and coastal regions on August 3rd and 4th.

August 1, 2020

As if 2020 hasn’t already been tumultuous enough, Hurricane Isaias is now causing concern as the National Hurricane Center is projecting landfall somewhere along the NC coast during the COVID-19 Coronaviurus pandemic causing considerable complexities for social distancing efforts in county shelters in the state.

This will get even more complex and dangerous as people in Eastern NC will have to find hurricane supplies from their pockets at a time when many are out of work.

Follow more about Hurricane Isaais here.

July 23, 2020

July 25: DPS announced that 20 more inmates from this center have tested positive. This makes a total of 50 from this very small facility.

The NC Department of Public Safety is reporting that there is an emergency effort to have all inmates and offenders within the correctional facilities and prisons tested for the COVID-19 Coronavirus. The report did not indicate if correctional officers and other staff members will be tested.

On July 23, 2020, 30 inmates at the Newport Prison in NC which is located in Carteret County received word that 30 inmates tested positive for the Coronavirus. Again, this report did not indicate if staff members were a part of the 30 identified.

The NC Department of Public Safety says that all inmates in NC correctional facilities who test positive with be medically quarantined.

Other prisons in the state have seen similar incidents within their facilities.

June 24, 2020

NC Governor Roy Cooper announced today that the state will stay at Phase 2 for three more weeks ( July 17 ) and that face masks will now be required statewide when residents are not in public and social distancing is not possible.

This executive order came down on June 24, 2020 as states are seeing a rebound of confirmed coronavirus cases and related hospitalizations.

Additionally, workers in retail businesses, restaurants, personal care and grooming, employees of child care centers, workers and riders of public transportation, workers in construction trades, manufacturing, agriculture, meat processing, healthcare, and long-term healthcare facilities are mandated to wear face masks covering at all times.

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March 27, 2020

NC Governor Roy Cooper issued a third executive order on the COVID-19 coronavirus stating that starting Monday, March 30th at 5 pm, all residents are ordered to stay at home and only travel outside the home for essential reasons.

Essential reasons do include grocery shopping, visiting a pharmacy, seeing a doctor or other healthcare facility. The governor’s executive order also prohibits gatherings of 10 or more people.

Under this disaster proclamation, not following this order subjects someone to a class 2 misdemeanor.

Update: March 23, 2020

Governor Cooper just announced his second executive order on NC schools requiring them to stay closed till May 15, 2020.

March 14, 2020

Governor Roy Cooper of NC issued an emergency executive order to close all 100 county public schools effective March 16, 2020. This order is in effect for 2 weeks, at which point the Governor and local task force team members will access the emergency response to the novel coronavirus.

Additionally, in order to avert a statewide disaster, the Governor also legally banned all public gatherings of 100 people or more.

This measure was likely taken due to coronavirus now being community acquired rather than only travel related.

March 13, 2020

President Donald Trump declared a national emergency over the coronavirus pandemic in the United States that is currently having an overwhelming economic impact on citizens and businesses across the country and here in North Carolina.

By declaring this national emergency, the Stafford Act can be invoked to provide billions in federal aid and disaster relief assistance to U.S. States. This will be especially helpful to people who are unable to work due to becoming infected with COVID-19, or who were unable to work because their places of employment were affected.

The Stafford Act allows federal government and state governments broad powers to free up unprecedented amounts of money to maintain order and benefit citizens.

Under the Stafford Act, FEMA will be the lead agency to help local governments and municipalities with helping to build new or temporary medical facilities, and provide patient transportation to health facilities to name just a few.

Additionally, under this law, those in NC that do not have health insurance or who are under-insured could receive competent medical care. President Trump will be the 3rd president in 25 years to declare a national emergency over a pandemic.

March 11, 2020

The UNC System has announced that effective immediately Spring Break has been extended for students, and that all on-campus classes across the entire system will be cancelled. Additionally, university related public gatherings of 100 or more people will be cancelled.

The UNC System will have in place alternative and remote classes by March 20, 2020 and these classes will begin on March 23rd.

This announcement is related to the Coronavirus pandemic. This declaration follows Duke University and the State of NC’s State of Emergency.

March 10, 2020

Administrators at Duke University in Durham NC announced today that the university is suspending all on-campus classes until further notice, and that no student should return to the campus from Spring Break until further notice.

This announcement by Duke was not prompted by a confirmed case of the coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) and that the decision to suspend classes is based on an abundance of caution.

NC DHHS and the CDC have cautioned people to avoid places where large groups of people congregate to mitigate exposure.

We expect to see more NC universities and schools closing in the next few days.

March 10, 2020

Governor Roy Cooper has issued a state of emergency after 5 new cases of coronavirus were discovered. This declaration allows for the NC Department of Health and Human Services to take more aggressive efforts to combat health concerns for the public and recovery efforts.

Additionally, this declaration will allow for the State of NC to seek federal funds and work more closely with the CDC on testing.

It was announced today that the state only has 300 testing kits available to NC DHHS.

March 9, 2020

As of publication, NC health officials and state government has not levied a state of emergency in the state as coronavirus is confirmed in two counties. Those counties are Wake County and Chatham County.

Continue to monitor the article at the link below where we are updating events as they happen in NC as it relates to COVID-19.