As Tropical Storm Debby spins closer to Craven County, the city of New Bern is helping residents prepare. New Bern officials delivered mounds of sand to the parking lots of Seth West Parrott Park and Henderson Park, where sand is free to the community on a first-come-first-serve basis. Officials report that the sand is a way for residents to prepare for Tropical Storm Debby.
“When I get some bags, I’ll put the sand in the bags.”
Shirley and Jim Wasicki live in a low-lying area. The couple said they feel scared as Debby approaches because their home has experienced flooding before. Since the city is providing the sand, the couple thought “why not give this a shot” to help protect their home from flooding.
Shirley: “We’ve never tried it before.”
Jim: “Yeah this is the first time. We’ve had a flood go into the garage though. Brices Creek floods when there’s a hurricane.”
Shirley: “We have flood insurance! The way it works is, they don’t cover anything on the outside of the house or the garage.”
In addition to using sandbags, city officials urge residents, visitors, and businesses to secure outdoor items, fuel up vehicles, restock a survival kit and clear drainage areas to help mitigate flooding risk.