Know Your Evacuation Zone

Our region is most vulnerable to hurricanes and other tropical storms. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) identified evacuation zones to help citizens know whether they should evacuate in an emergency or shelter at home, based on their physical street address and the nature of the emergency event. Evacuation zones are designated A through D and, in the event of a hurricane or other tropical storm, residents of one or more zones may be directed to evacuate depending on tides, storm intensity, path, and other factors. When a serious storm is expected to threaten or impact Virginia’s coastal regions, state and local emergency agencies will work with local news media outlets, as well as social media channels, that will then broadcast and publish evacuation directives to the public. So, what’s your zone? Visit www.KnowYourZoneVA.org to enter your address into VDEM’s map and find out. Learn your zone, commit it to memory and make sure your family knows too.  Join us for a Hurricane Preparedness Facebook Live this Thursday, May 13 at 6 p.m. Panelists from the National Hurricane Center, the National Weather Service and the City of Newport News will discuss the upcoming hurricane season, share preparedness tips, discuss prediction methods and highlight the ways information is distributed to the public. To watch and interact visit the Newport News Facebook Page, tune into NNTV (Cox 48 and Verizon 19) or go online to www.nnva.gov/nntv. To submit questions or comments in advance, email cityinfo@nnva.gov.