It's been two days since Potential Tropical Cyclone #8 (PTC #8) hit southeastern North Carolina, dumping over 12 inches of rain on Southport and 18 inches of rain on Carolina Beach in less than 24 hours. Here's an updated list of closures in the county, as well as resources for those impacted by the storm.
Closures
Brunswick County government services will remain closed all day Thursday, Sept. 19 as the county recovers from the storm. All Brunswick County offices, libraries, parks, and other facilities are slated to reopen on their regular schedules Friday, Sept. 20, unless another schedule change becomes necessary.
Speaking of libraries, Brunswick County Library will not charging fines for materials due this week. The Library will be fine-free through Monday, Sept. 23. The county is asking residents to stay safe, and keep their library materials safe as well.
The Brunswick County Landfill reopened Thursday, Sept. 19. Free Cleanup Week — which allows residents to dump anything (except hazardous waste or regular household trash) free of charge — begins today, Thursday, Sept. 19. To help residents clean up from the storm, Free Cleanup Week will be extended into next week through Saturday, Sept. 28.
GFL Environmental, the trash service for Brunswick County, was not able to pick up trash on Monday or Tuesday. Customers who missed service will get their trash picked up on Saturday. If you have questions, or if you need your bin picked up earlier, call 910-253-4177.
Brunswick County Parks are open once again, with the exception of Brunswick Nature Park. Leland Community Park and Town Creek District Park were closed, but have since reopened.
Currently, all satellite sites for the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office are closed while the department works on recovery efforts. The main office is also closed. There's no word yet on when the department will reopen. Brunswick County residents in need of emergency assistance should call 9-1-1.
Brunswick County Schools will remain closed to students for the remainder of the week. The district says that "specific instructions and options" for learning have been passed along to staff.
Related: Governor visits Southport, addresses "one in a thousand year" storm
Safe driving
Southport communications director ChyAnn Ketchum shared directions with members of the press for getting to and from Brunswick County safely. As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, the safest route from Wilmington to Brunswick County is as follows:
- Take 17 to 74
- Take 74 to Green Swamp Road NE/Highway 211 (approximately 30 miles, near Bolton)
- Take Green Swamp Road NE/Highway 211 south
- From Green Swamp Road NE/Highway 211, drive west on 17 to get to Supply, Bolivia, Southport and Highway 87. Drive east on 17 to reach Shallotte, Calabash and South Carolina.
These directions are subject to change. Monitor DriveNC.gov to see the most recent list of closures.
Brunswick County emergency response is still instructing residents to stay off the roads unless travel is absolutely necessary. Many major roads, including US-17 and NC-87/133, are still closed or flooded in some areas. Crews are still trying to identify areas impacted by sinkholes, flooding or fallen limbs.
North Carolina Highway Patrol has already counted one fatality in Brunswick County: a motorist who allegedly drove past a police barricade to a flooded road. Use caution while driving — do not speed and never drive past a closure sign.
Resources
Public information officer Meagan Kascsak made an announcement about the Brunswick County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) today. These community organizations give resources to those in need following storms and disasters.
Kascsak stated residents and visitors in need of assistance related to PTC 8 should contact Brunswick County Emergency Management to be added to an assessment list for support. You can reach BCEM at 910-253-5383. Those on the list can ask for help with food, clothing, moving furniture, clean-up efforts, and more.
You can also call BCEM if you need to go to a shelter. The American Red Cross North Carolina Region has opened a shelter at the Brunswick Center at Leland, located at 121 Town Hall Drive. The shelter is available free of charge to individuals and families.
Brunswick County cannot accept donations. But the county is asking folks to assist its partner organizations in recovery efforts. You can find a list of those organizations on the Brunswick County VOAD webpage.
You can also find volunteer opportunities at brunswickcountync.gov/volunteer. You can also check local municipal websites for additional opportunities at brunswickcountync.gov/municipalities.
Kascsak shared a list of organizations in need of volunteer support in a Thursday update:
- Baptist on Mission is assisting in cleaning up homeowners’ properties following the storm. Individuals can sign up for the waiting list online here. Putting your name on this list does not guarantee help from the organization. Families can also contact their Leland and Southport locations to sign up for the waiting list via the phone numbers and emails below.
- Leland: (910)232-5141 or f.leland2024@ncmissions.org
- Southport: (910)232-5149 or f.southport2024@ncmissions.org
- Another option for help with cleaning up damage is the Crisis Cleanup Hotline at 910-218-1569. They will help connect you with volunteers from local organizations, groups, and faith communities to assist with muck out, debris, tarp, and trees. Services are free but not guaranteed due to need. The hotline will remain open through Oct. 4, 2024
- Brunswick Family Assistance (BFA) is offering the community free at the following distribution locations on Thursday, Sept. 19 beginning at 9:30 a.m. until around noon/12:30 p.m. (while supplies last):
- New Hope Clinic at 201 W. Boiling Spring Road in Southport
Ocean View UMC at 8400 E. Oak Island Drive in Oak Island
Free Resources Include:
- Flood buckets (cleaning supplies, gloves, muck/gut tools)
- Health kits (toiletries, first aid, towels)
- Quilts
- Some brooms, mops, and shovels
- Backpacks filled with school supplies
- Kitchen kits for use in a hotel
You can sign up for additional updates from the ReadyBrunswick service here.
