Public Radio East serves Eastern North Carolina by providing news, fine arts, and informational programming that challenges, stimulates, educates, and entertains an intellectually curious audience.

© 2026 Public Radio East

Public Radio East
800 College Court
New Bern, NC 28562

EIN 56-1802728
Public Radio For Eastern North Carolina 89.3 WTEB New Bern 88.5 WZNB New Bern 91.5 WBJD Atlantic Beach 90.3 WKNS Kinston 89.9 W210CF Greenville
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Critical lifeline for coastal communities used to plan hurricane evacuations could expire on Friday

A critical lifeline for coastal communities is caught in a high-stakes standoff. A tool used by thousands of emergency managers to decide when to evacuate residents before a hurricane is reportedly set to expire on Friday.

Known as "Hurrevac," the system is used by over thirty thousand local and state officials. According to reports from The Washington Post, internal emails suggest a renewal delay at FEMA is threatening to take the system offline just as hurricane season looms.

Officials describe Hurrevac as "invaluable," as it overlays storm history and real-time forecasts to tell agencies exactly when to clear neighborhoods. However, FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security are pushing back.

In a statement, they called claims of an expiration "categorically false," insisting the contract remains active and under no threat of interruption.

Annette is an award-winning journalist based in Eastern North Carolina. Her career includes professional stops across the Midwest, Pacific Northwest, and Southeast, recently culminating in a 2026 Region 8 Edward R. Murrow Award for Small Market Radio Best News Series for her work on the Camp Lejeune Justice Act Series. Guided by a passion for human-interest storytelling, she focuses on narratives that touch hearts and connect communities. A mother of four and grandmother of two, Annette enjoys reading and creating epic Halloween costumes in her spare time. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.