Print and Keep This Guide Near Your Phone, or Within Close Reach.
December 2021
Whenever anyone's safety, health or home appears to be in immediate danger, you should immediately call 9-1-1. If you should ever have trouble getting through on 9-1-1 because of phone problems, try calling 919-542-2811. If calling from outside Chatham County and need to reach Chatham 9-1-1, call 542-2911.
Non-emergency contact number 919-542-8180 only 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday.
In cases of a serious weather-based, or other, area emergency, the emergency response will be coordinated by Chatham County Emergency Management and will be provided by professionally trained responders.
What should I do if I'm told to evacuate? In most cases, you are given instructions at the time of the evacuation orders. These instructions may be to carry certain things to a shelter with you or in some cases (such as a hazardous material leak), you may be told to leave immediately. It is extremely important that you follow directions at the time you are told to evacuate. You should be told where to go and how to get there. In some cases you may be able to drive your car; if you have special needs and need transportation to the designated emergency shelter, register ahead HERE online (https://bit.ly/2ZXvTSZ) or contact Chatham County Emergency Management at 919-542-2811.
What Emergency Shelter COVID-19 Safety Precautions Will Be Followed?
Open shelters in Chatham County will abide by strict guidelines to reduce the spread of COVID-19. All clients, staff and volunteers are required to wear face coverings and physical distance will be monitored and enforced among individuals not in the same household. Each client will have their temperature checked and must complete a questionnaire related to the coronavirus; those who are confirmed positive or are symptomatic must remain isolated from other shelter clients. The use of cots will be limited to those clients with medical issues, and six feet of distance must be maintained from individuals not in the same household. Meals and snacks will likely be individually packaged, such as boxed or bag lunches, heater meals, and/or Meals-Ready-To-Eat (MRE). Cleanliness will be key at Chatham County emergency shelters. Facilities will be cleaned often, and staff and clients must wash their hands and use hand sanitizer often. Chatham County Emergency Management Director Steve Newton advises that “due to COVID-19 still being present in our community, residents are advised to utilize an emergency shelter as a last resort and should make plans in advance to stay with a family member, friend, or other safe place.”
How do people get the word? By automated calls from the ALERT CHATHAM system: (https://bit.ly/337aecl). To receive such alerts, you must be registered with the system. To register, click on the hot-link above. Also, listen to the radio for further directions concerning shelter openings: WCHL-AM (1360), WCHL-FM (97.9), WDCG-FM (105.1), WRAL-FM (101.5), WYMY-FM (La Ley 101.1 in Spanish). Where would Fearrington Village residents be sheltered whenever the County declares an emergency? Chatham County Emergency Management will establish facilities and procedures for protracted sheltering at several nearby schools and at several facilities of the Chatham County Council on Aging. Instructions will be provided via the County’s Alert Chatham/CodeRed calling alert system and radio stations listed just above.
Can The Gathering Place (TGP) serve as an emergency housing shelter? No; The building is not suitable for serving in such a capacity. Emergency sheltering will be supplied by the County, which will also supply transportation to shelter centers for residents with verified special needs (“fragile persons”). We are developing guidelines for the very limited use of The Gathering Place as a temporary “Emergency Information Center,” for short-term warming/cooling, and limited short-term access to emergency generated electric power for charging small priority devises.
How will I know what roads are impassable? Listen to the public media. Most media outlets work with the Department of Transportation to give road condition reports. Do not call 9-1-1 to ask about road conditions; they do not have the information readily available. 9-1-1 deals only with local roads and only for emergency response purposes.
Can my household pet(s) come with me to the county-established emergency shelter? Service animals for the hearing and visually impaired will be allowed in the shelter; however, contact Emergency Management directly before bringing your pet to any shelter (919-542-2911). All other animals are welcome at the shelter and Animal Services Staff will be on hand to board pets at the shelter site in the best manner possible.
What should I do if told to shelter in place? Shelter in place means that you are to stay where you are until advised to do otherwise. This could be at home, an office, at school or somewhere public. One of the best descriptions of sheltering in place and the considerations for sheltering in place at home during a storm is on the Ready NC (https://bit.ly/3dliSWv) website.
Where can I get food and/or water? According to advice revised by the Federal Government’s Homeland Security Department, you should have enough food and water (1 gallon per person for 3-7 days) on hand for your family for ONE FULL WEEK as part of your preparedness. When disasters last longer, disaster control authorities will be bringing in water and setting up food stations. People in the affected areas will be informed as to the location of these two distribution places.
For more information about FHA Health, Safety, & Security
- Also see the Emergency Preparedness pages in the FHA printed Directory and Handbook.
Sign Up to Receive Fearrington Village Emergency Notifications
In your preferences for which FHA communications will be sent to your email address, we strongly urge everyone to subscribe to receive Emergency Notifications. These notifications are used only to inform subscribers of conditions that are of immediate concern and could affect Fearrington.
To be sure you are subscribed, log into the FHA website. On the top menu, select the "Directory" tab, then select the "Update Your Information" sub-tab and use the "e-Subscriptions" tab to be sure you have chosen "Yes" to receive any village emergency notifications. If you change this option, be sure to click "Submit" at the bottom of the page.
