Friday storm center: Have a question about Hurricane Matthew? We’re here to help
You're welcome to browse our answered questions below, but you should also know we have a new Storm Center - Saturday edition here.
In the spirit of helping others during a time of emergency, The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette would like to hear from you.
If you have a Hurricane Matthew-related question or information you think would be important or helpful to share with others before, during or after the storm, please call our newsroom at 843-706-8149, email newsroom@islandpacket.com, comment on this story below or direct message us on the Packet’s Facebook page or the Gazette’s Facebook page.
We will post links to each question here as we answer them, so bookmark this page for the latest information.
If you’re staying here ...
▪ Are there any bars open on Hilton Head Island?
▪ What is the possibility of St. Helena flooding?
▪ When will the wind and storm surge hit?
▪ Are the bridges to Hilton Head Island still open Friday?
▪ Are people allowed to enter Beaufort right now?
▪ What gas stations are still open in Beaufort County on Friday?
▪ At what height of storm surge will most of Hilton Head Island be under water?
▪ Who should I call to report utility outages?
▪ Will BJWSA and SCE&G voluntarily turn off their services to Lady’s Island residents at any point?
▪ Are they shutting water off in Bluffton and Beaufort, or is it just the islands?
▪ Is it true there won’t be any emergency personnel on Hilton Head starting Friday?
▪ Is Beaufort Memorial Hospital’s ER open still?
▪ Will there be a power station set up to charge phones, computers?
▪ How many people stayed on Hilton Head Island?
▪ Is BJWSA turning off water to some parts of Beaufort County?
▪ Where can I still get a prescription filled?
▪ Have USPS, UPS and FedEx services been suspended?
▪ What will the storm surge be for Beaufort and Bluffton?
▪ Can I go check on my boat on St. Helena Island?
▪ What are the reasons people don’t evacuate when advised to do so?
▪ What restaurants are still open?
▪ I’ve heard that looting has begun in Bluffton. Is this true?
▪ When will the bridges to Hilton Head Island close?
▪ Is the Hilton Head Hospital emergency room open?
▪ Where can I get cat food in Beaufort?
▪ Still haven’t evacuated? These are the Beaufort County grocery stores that are still open
▪ Do you know if Hunting Island will be open Thursday? My son and a few of his friends want to surf.
▪ Can I get pizza delivered during the evacuation?
▪ I just heard that Bluffton is turning off water supply Thursday. Is that true?
▪ How long will the lane reversals last?
▪ Is it true that my kids will be taken from me if my family doesn’t evacuate?
▪ If I stay, will I be able to travel freely during and after the evacuation?
▪ Is Sea Pines shutting off power, water?
▪ Is it true that our electricity and water will be automatically shut off by the power companies?
▪ If I don’t evacuate, will I still be able to call 911?
Re-entry questions
▪ When will it be OK to return to Hilton Head Island?
▪ How will I know when it’s safe to come home?
▪ Are people allowed to enter Beaufort right now?
▪ When will lanes traveling east on I-16 in Georgia open? When can I return to Savannah?
If you plan to evacuate today ...
▪ Which shelters are still open and do they have enough room for more people?
▪ Can I seek shelter at local schools, including Bluffton Middle and Okatie Elementary?
▪ Can I bring my service dog with me to the shelter?
▪ Can I make left turns traveling west on U.S. 278?
▪ When is the latest that I can evacuate Lady’s Island?
▪ When will the wind and storm surge hit?
▪ It’s Friday. Is it too late to get transported to a shelter?
▪ Are the bridges to Hilton Head Island still open Friday?
▪ What gas stations are still open in Beaufort County on Friday?
▪ Is the Talmadge Bridge to Savannah still open?
▪ Is the Savannah airport still open?
▪ When is the last ferry leaving Daufuskie Island on Friday?
▪ What items should I bring to a shelter?
▪ How many people stayed on Hilton Head Island?
▪ Where are the shelters Bluffton’s mayor mentioned in her address Thursday?
▪ Who can I call if I need transportation to evacuate?
▪ Can I drive myself to shelters or did I have to take a bus?
▪ I’ve heard that looting has begun in Bluffton. Is this true?
▪ Is it true that my kids will be taken from me if my family doesn’t evacuate?
▪ How do I evacuate from ... the Beaufort area? from Bluffton area? from Hilton Head Island?
▪ Are there local shelters? Where will shelters be open?
▪ What should I know about my insurance policies before evacuating?
If you have already evacuated ...
▪ Can you recommend a webcam to view St. Helena Island?
▪ Should we expect flooding in the Dale community and Laurel Bay, Shanklin area of Burton?
▪ What’s the latest on reports of looting?
▪ Are people robbing, casing homes in Northern Beaufort County?
▪ Will the Jasper and Colleton county shelters have to evacuate farther inland?
▪ How many people stayed on Hilton Head Island?
▪ What will the storm surge be for Beaufort and Bluffton?
▪ What are the reasons people don’t evacuate when advised to do so?
▪ I’m a small-business owner and I evacuated. What do I need to know?
Traffic and road questions
▪ Are the bridges to Hilton Head Island still open Friday?
▪ What gas stations are still open in Beaufort County on Friday?
▪ When will the bridges to Hilton Head Island close?
▪ If I stay, will I be able to travel freely after the evacuation?
▪ Can drivers on I-95 north choose their route?
▪ Any idea what 278 and I-95 look like at the moment?
▪ Will the bridges to and from Lady’s Island be routed to one way or closed? If so, when?
General questions
▪ What will happen to the monkeys on Morgan Island?
▪ Will they be evacuating the inmates in Beaufort County Detention Center?
▪ Are timeshare and vacation rental check-ins canceled?
▪ Is Harley the Clydesdale safe?
This story was originally published October 7, 2016 at 8:04 AM with the headline "Friday storm center: Have a question about Hurricane Matthew? We’re here to help."