Marines, recruits, and families aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island have been told to shelter in place as the destructive winds and rain of Hurricane Isaias bears down on America’s southeastern seaboard.
Tropical storm Isaias was upgraded to a category 1 hurricane late Thursday evening after battering the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas with 75 mile per hour winds. The hurricane is expected to make landfall on the American mainland sometime over the weekend, with initial rains reaching Florida as early as Friday night.
“Destructive weather from Hurricane Isaias is expected to have limited impacts at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. Based on the current trajectory and hurricane strength models, MCRD Parris Island at this time has decided to shelter in place at the depot.”
We will continue to monitor the situation and will make careful considerations for what will be necessary for the safety of our recruits and personnel.
As information becomes available, we will continue to provide updates on our command website and social media platforms.”
On Thursday, Isaias’ strong winds and rain left as many as 400,000 people in Puerto Rico without power, with somewhere between 5 and 10 inches of rain falling on the island within a matter of hours, causing a series of flash floods and mudslides.
It seems somewhat likely, however, that the storm will have lost some of its destructive potential before reaching the Marine Corps installation tasked with training many of America’s aspiring Marines.
Nonetheless, anyone in the path of this inbound hurricane is advised to take precautionary action as advised in the Marine Corps infographic below released by MCRD Parris Island.
How to prepare for the hurricane
Make a plan
Have a plan in place to shut off your utilities in case of an emergency and evacuate your home. If you have family members in the area, set a meeting place in case you get separated.
Secure the exterior of your house
Trim any dangerous branches or trees in your yard and move all of your outside furniture, plants and other belongings into your house if possible. If not possible, try to secure them where they are.
Install storm shutters if you’re able
You can use commercial storm shutters or plywood to protect the windows of your house from strong winds or flying debris.
Move your cars if necessary
Park cars in garages when possible, or move them to high ground to avoid damage to the vehicle in case of flooding.
Power up/Fill up
Charge you mobile phone and any other electronic devices you may need in a power outage. Get gas for your car now, as pumps may not function if the power goes out in your area.
Unplug appliances
Unplug large appliances and electronics that you don’t need before the storm arrives, to avoid any damage that could be caused by power surges and to limit the potential for fire in a flood.
Protect your important documents
Keep important paperwork in a secure, waterproof container. Some important documents you’ll want to protect include birth certificates, passports, titles for vehicles or houses, military documents, and marriage licenses.
Identify a shelter room in your house
Choose a room on the first floor of your house that does not have any large windows. Shelter in this room until the storm passes.
Assemble an emergency kit before the hurricane reaches Parris Island
Assemble a small kit with essentials you’ll need to get through the storm. Your kit should include (but doesn’t have to be limited to):
- Hygiene equipment like toothbrushes and razors
- Bottled water or a water purification setup
- Any prescription drugs you or your family need
- Non-perishable food you can prepare without electricity
- Some money in cash you can use in stores during a power outtage
- Changes of clothing in case you get wet
- Flashlights to use in the event of a power outage
- Spare batteries for your flashlight, phone, and computer
- A first aid kit or IFAK
