Fort Belvoir Public Affairs Office
News Release
Thursday, October 26, 2012
Belvoir, just as local governments in the region, is preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Sandy and a major storm front tracking from the west.
Whether Sandy makes landfall in the immediate vicinity or not, the converging systems have the potential for damaging winds and flooding. High winds and heavy rain of up to four inches could arrive as early as Sunday afternoon. Sandy could make landfall anywhere from the Mid-Atlantic states to New England between Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.
Due to the severity of the storm, it is likely that Fort Belvoir will have to adjust its operating status. The garrison, mission partners, residents and patrons of services on Belvoir should plan now in the event that operations are reduced or the post is closed. Decisions for Monday’s operating status will be announced as early as possible on Sunday.
Take time to review the hurricane fact sheet at this link: http://www.acsim.army.mil/readyarmy/Hurricane_Fact_Sheet.pdf
Previous high-wind storms have left Fort Belvoir without power. While we are working with Dominion to prepare for restoration efforts, large numbers of power customers in the region are likely to experience outages as well.
Water:
Hurricanes are also known to disrupt water treatment operations, which can limit supplies of drinking water. Prepare to have bottled water on hand. Emergency Management officials recommend one gallon per person, per day.
This fact sheet provides more info about water supplies: http://www.ready.gov/water
Power:
Power outages, downed trees and utility poles could disrupt some operations and services at Fort Belvoir during and after the storm. The Garrison Command team strongly encourages employees, residents and mission partners to take stock of their personal, Family and work situations and take actions to prepare for these potential impacts.
Displaced Persons:
Contingency mass care plans are in place for residents whose homes may be uninhabitable due to structural damage from the storm. This temporary accommodation will be limited to those physically displaced and is not meant as an alternate location for those without power. A specific message with detailed instructions will be issued in the event such plans are activated.
Updates:
Before, during and after the storm, critical emergency information will be provided through various means. Belvoir’s Installation Operations Center is tracking the storm and preparing facilities and resources for the approaching severe weather. The track of the hurricane and its potential interaction with the in-bound weather front make the exact nature of the impacts difficult to predict. The Garrison staff and our mission partners are leaning forward to prepare to the extent possible and we encourage you to make personal preparations as well. Find critical information on the Belvoir homepage at www.belvoir.army.mil, via Facebook at www.facebook.com/fortbelvoir, on the Information Hotline at (703) 805-3030 and on Belvoir’s Emergency Alert Radio System at AM 1610.
