KINGWOOD, W.Va. – As the remnants of Hurricane Ida close in on West Virginia emergency managers are hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. In Preston County, Emergency Management Director Duane Hamilton said they are making sure swift water rescue equipment is ready to and watching the track of the storm.
” We’re keeping an eye on the Cheat River, we’re monitoring with the National Weather Service to keep abreast with all current storm activity,” Hamilton said,” What path the storm is going to take and how much rain we’re going to get.”
According to Hamilton, they conduct a conference call with the National Weather Service daily to update the storm track and the amount precipitation expected. The remnants of Ida have made a north-northeast turn and is expected to bring rain to West Virginia Tuesday.
“Mainly what we’re looking at right now is flash flooding,” Hamilton said,” They’re not really looking at the rise and fall of the Cheat, they’re anticipating it to go up seven feet, but we’re keeping an eye on it.”
People in the path of the storm should stock up on water, food and essentials to prepare for an 18 to 24-hour period of steady rain, some heavy at times.
” Right now if you look at the map, Preston County is pretty well the same all the across in the four inch range,” Hamilton said.
Never drive through flood waters and make plans in advance to ensure safety of people, animals and equipment.
“If you live around areas that typically flood have a plan to get out before it floods,” Hamilton said,” Don’t get trapped in.”
Crews are expected to begin damage assessments when rains are forecast to end Wednesday evening. But, emergency management officials will be in contact with local fire departments as the storm unfolds.
“Typically we rely on our volunteer fire departments because we have fire departments in every area that are usually the first responders if there is an event,” Hamilton said,” Depending on the amount of damage we could people taking calls.”