How to stay informed about Hurricane Dorian in Volusia, Flagler

Emergency management officials are urging Volusia and Flagler residents to prepare now for Hurricane Dorian as it heads toward the Central Florida coast and strengthens with every passing hour.

As you fill up on bottled water, gas and batteries, you'll want to stock up on information, too. But what information is most accurate? How can you tell? What do you trust?

The News-Journal pulled together a list of official resources for Volusia and Flagler residents to check as the storm approaches, and after.

Preparedness

There are lots of guides and checklists out there about how to prepare for a hurricane. The National Hurricane Center has one. The Florida Department of Health has one. The Centers for Disease Control have one.

If you don't know where to start, check the ones offered online by Volusia and Flagler counties. They include everything from what you need to buy and how evacuations would work if they're necessary.

[DISASTER PREPAREDNESS GUIDE: Volusia | Flagler]

Additionally, check The News-Journal's Storm Prep Checklists for information and advice from experts.

Volusia County

Volusia has its own emergency management app to keep information at your fingertips. News pops up on the app's home page as it gets posted to Twitter or Facebook. You can see a map of shelters, evacuation zones and routes and a weather radar; create an emergency plan and share it with family and friends; and check your own preparedness against the checklist the county has created.

[APPLE: Volusia County FL EM]

[ANDROID: Volusia County EM]

Make sure to follow Volusia County Emergency Management on Facebook and Twitter. The pages are activated during an emergency, and is where information will be posted during the storm.

Plus, the county will post updates about safety, shelter, sandbags and the storm's progress on their website.

[FOLLOW VOLUSIA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Website | Facebook | Twitter]

For Dorian, Volusia County will also launch its Citizens Information Center, which residents can call for information during emergency operations. It will be activated Thursday, Aug. 29 and Friday, Aug. 30 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. On Saturday, Aug. 31 it will be activated 24/7, until further notice. Call 866-345-0345.

Volusia County uses Code RED as its emergency notification system. Residents can sign up online and get notifications in an emergency. In a hurricane, it would include weather alerts and evacuation notices, but the county will use it in other emergencies too. Sign up online.

Flagler County

Flagler County Emergency Management will be posting Dorian-specific information on their website. That's where residents can access information about shelters, weather alerts and evacuation notices.

Residents can also get that information on Facebook and Twitter by following @FlaglerEOC.

[FOLLOW FLAGLER EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Website | Facebook | Twitter]

Like CodeRED in Volusia, Flagler uses ALERTFlagler for emergency notifications. Residents can sign up here. Be sure to opt-in to alerts about flash flood warnings, tornado warnings, hurricane warnings and storm surge warnings.

Weather information

The National Hurricane Center will post regular updates on Dorian on its website here, which will include weather alerts by geographic area and possible changes in the storm's trajectory.

Local impacts

In addition to weather updates, the News-Journal will continue to publish information about how the storm is impacting local residents, businesses and institutions. For information on school closures, photos of damage and updates on the storm's impact in the days weeks and months to come, follow the News-Journal on Twitter and Facebook, download the app and subscribe.

If you would like to support local investigative journalism like this. SUBSCRIBE HERE.

___

(c)2019 The News-Journal, Daytona Beach, Fla.

Visit The News-Journal, Daytona Beach, Fla. at www.news-journalonline.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.