By: Sam Belfield, Senior Transportation Engineer and

Robert Lawrence, Senior Regional Emergency Management Planner

Are you prepared for the hurricane season?  The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June through November, with peak months from mid-August through late September.  The Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) has again teamed with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and others, such as the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission,  to produce the Virginia Hurricane Evacuation Guide. This edition is more inclusive for those with special medical and functional needs.

Virginia’s coastal and eastern regions, including all Hampton Roads communities, are especially at risk during a major storm, although the impacts from a hurricane’s wind and flooding can affect any part of the state.  This guide provides information on the following topics:
•    Storm surge – the reason to evacuate
•    Storm surge maps and flooding
•    What are watches and warnings?
•    If you need to evacuate
•    Hampton Roads evacuation routes
•    The option to reverse lanes on I-64
•    Hurricane gates and reversing I-64
•    Special Medical/Functional Needs information
•    Emergency supply kit list

Click here to view the 2011 print version.

For more information about how to prepare for hurricanes or other threats, visit ReadyVirginia.gov, your comprehensive resource for emergency preparedness in Virginia.