JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. — Hurricane season is underway, and Joint Base Charleston emergency managers are encouraging military members, families and civilian personnel to prepare now before a storm threatens the Lowcountry.
This message comes on the heels of a recent base-wide hurricane exercise, which helped identify strengths and gaps in preparedness while reinforcing the importance of personal readiness.
"Exercises and real-world events show us the gaps in preparedness across the entire installation," said Steven Gottula, 628th Civil Engineer Squadron installation emergency manager. "When the lessons we learn from these events are applied to corrective measures, it makes us stronger when disaster strikes.”
According to emergency managers, the three most important actions people can take today are building a 72-hour emergency supply kit for every member of their household, including pets, reviewing family emergency and evacuation plans and ensuring all family members are enrolled in the AtHoc mass notification and warning system.
Preparedness is especially important in the Lowcountry, where flooding and severe weather can impact communities long before a hurricane makes landfall.
"Even before a hurricane enters the forecast, Lowcountry residents can face one of the region's most persistent hazards: flooding," said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jennifer Ryan, 628th Civil Engineer Squadron Emergency Management Operations noncommissioned officer in charge. "We don't even need a forecasted tropical storm or hurricane to see flooding in the Lowcountry. This area floods with heavy rainfall."
Ryan said newcomers to the Charleston area often underestimate the amount of flooding the region experiences, noting that vehicles frequently become stranded when people attempt to drive through flooded roadways.
"We see peoples' cars on the news all the time because they tried to drive through a flooded road and their car stalled," said Ryan. "Turn around, don't drown."
Ryan also added that families should not overlook daily medications and pet supplies when building emergency kits and emphasized the importance of understanding South Carolina's "Know Your Zone" program before a storm threatens the area.
"Know Your Zone' is vitally important for military members and their families," said Ryan. "The state practices lane reversal, where both sides of the interstate are used to travel west and many exits and stops along the way are shut down."
The hurricane exercise also reinforced the importance of family disaster plans, emergency supply kits and evacuation preparedness, according to Gottula.
"Some lessons learned for the base population are the importance of making a family disaster plan, building a kit and knowing your evacuation zone," said Gottula. "When making your plan and building your kits, remember to include any family member with special needs and don't forget your pets."
Emergency managers also caution against becoming complacent when storms approach.
"A common hurricane myth that I encounter is that a hurricane won't be that bad or that I've lived through them before," said Ryan. "Hurricanes have very unpredictable elements. They can change paths last second to directly impact an area that wasn't projected to make direct landfall in, and they can intensify rapidly to a much stronger storm than previously predicted."
Team Charleston members are encouraged to review their emergency plans, build or update their 72-hour emergency kits and ensure their contact information is current in the AtHoc mass notification system. For additional preparedness resources, visit ready.gov and hurricane.sc.
| Date Taken: |
06.09.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
06.09.2026 13:26 |
| Story ID: |
567242 |
| Location: |
JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: |
19 |
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0 |
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