With Hurricane Ida battering Nicaragua, Don McKinnon, executive director of the Jones County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) said plans are on hold until next week to combat what may be the last hurricane of the season.
“Statistically and historically, we have never had a hurricane hit Mississippi in November,” he said. “The guidance on Ida is to not worry about it.”
However, McKinnon said his staff is worried about future storms, and is preparing themselves accordingly.
In September, the EMA received $2.4 million in federal funding to construct a community safe room complex at the South Mississippi Fairgrounds.
“We’re still in the preliminary stages, but it will be very valuable to us locally as well as to people on the coast,” he said. “It will house anywhere from 850 to 1,000 people with a windload of up to 250 miles-per-hour sustained winds. It will be fully self-contained with all of the safety devices and features.”
McKinnon said that safe room will be the only “hurricane proof” structure in Jones County, with the other shelters remaining a “last resort.”
“They’re just a get out of the weather kind of place,” he said. “Hopefully, we won’t have 200 miles-per-hour winds. Even with this shelter, it doesn’t mean we won’t open the other shelters. That will just be the primary large capacity shelter.”
McKinnon said the EMA has also completed a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program plan that was approved by the Federal Emergency Agency (FEMA). McKinnon said the plan, which was worked out with Neel-Schaffer, identifies “some potential hazards” Jones County may face in a storm.
“It contains things that we know normally happen, and could possibly or feasibly happen,” he said. “We will try to address those things as money becomes available in grant form.”
McKinnon said there’s no plans to “retrofit” any buildings in Jones County to meet FEMA 361 standards, which are deemed “hurricane proof.”
“Not right now, because of the cost and the economy the way it is,” he said. “They could be anywhere from a 75-25 match to a 95-5 depending on the grant type. We have not chosen to go after any of that money. There’s no buildings we could feasibly retrofit.”
McKinnon recently got the chance to serve on a service assessment team for the National Weather Service in Atlanta, Ga. He said he brought some knowledge back from that event.
“There was an issue with the hydrometerological prediction center,” he said. “People were going home when this event was still ongoing, when maybe they should stayed. I don’t know who made the call instead of staying open all night. It’s one of those judgment calls.”
McKinnon said it was a learning experience and harrowing hearing 911 calls from several people who died during the storms.
“Unfortunately, 10 people did die,” he said. “Maybe one or two made the decision and intentionally drove into the water, but other drivers were in the water before they realized it.”
McKinnon recalled hearing a 911 call from a woman who worked the night shift at Sam’s Club and drove home to get her children to school and husband ready for work.
“I believe she intentionally drove into the water,” he said. “I have a recording of her 911 call. She did die.”
Local News
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