What Sea Pines residents and visitors should know about Hurricane Irma

Sea Pines property owners are “highly encouraged” to evacuate before Saturday as Hurricane Irma moves closer, according to an email release from the plantation.

Although S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster has not yet called for an evacuation, he said Thursday if he does, it will take effect Saturday at 10 a.m.

Sea Pines’ Community Services Associates is urging its residents to leave ahead of an evacuation order to avoid traffic delays.

Beginning Saturday, the Sea Pines gate will be restricted, allowing only property owners and residents with passes inside, according to the release. Gate passes will stop being sold to “non-essential personnel” as of Saturday at 10 a.m., and Sea Pines security will drive through the community announcing the order to evacuate— if issued by the governor — on the patrol cars’ public-address system, the release said.

If residents plan to stay behind, they must contact Sea Pines CSA security dispatch at 843-671-7170, or by email at dispatch@seapinessecurity.com, the release said.

To prepare for an evacuation, residents are asked to secure their homes, including bringing in outdoor furniture, flags, other decorations and garbage cans. If they do evacuate, they are asked to lock their doors and windows, and bring copies of important documents in water-tight containers, the release said.

As of Thursday, all CSA events through next Friday are canceled. The CSA administration office will close today at noon until further notice, the release said.

Amanda Sutcliffe-Jones, director of communications for CSA, said Thursday that Sea Pines will communicate updates to residents through several methods, including Facebook and an emergency hotline: 1-866-671-3822.

Sutcliffe-Jones said the plantation is preparing CSA-managed property for the storm, including lowering bodies of water in the community.

Re-entry will be authorized by CSA president Bret Martin and will be communicated to residents through the various methods mentioned above, Sutcliffe-Jones said.

This story was originally published September 8, 2017 at 11:36 AM with the headline "What Sea Pines residents and visitors should know about Hurricane Irma."