Sixty years later: Town hall meeting commemorates Hurricane Hazel

A fallen tree crushes a car in Chapel Hill.
(Roland Giduz. North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives, UNC Chapel Hill)

On May 5, East Carolina University will host the first in a series of statewide meetings on hurricane and severe weather preparedness that commemorate the 60th anniversary of Hurricane Hazel.

The meeting, organized by the ECU Office of Environmental Health & Safety and the National Weather Service in Newport, will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. on Monday, May 5 in the Willis Building, 300 East First St., Greenville.

Track of Hurricane Hazel across the eastern US.
(National Weather Service, Raleigh)

Hurricane Hazel hit the North Carolina coast on Oct. 15, 1954, the strongest recorded Category 4 hurricane in state history.

The event is free and open to the public. Parking will be available in front of the Willis Building.

In addition to information about Hurricane Hazel, participants will learn how to prepare for the upcoming hurricane and severe weather season.

Panelists will include Matt Engelbrecht, meteorologist with WITN, and representatives from the American Red Cross, Pitt County Emergency Management, Pitt County Public Health, Greenville Fire & Rescue and Greenville Utilities Commission.

Presenters will answer questions and provide guidance on preparedness, response and recovery activities.

ECU is recognized as a StormReady university by the National Weather Service. The designation means ECU conducts advanced planning, education and awareness efforts and implements effective warning systems.

For more information on the town hall meeting, visit http://goo.gl/xD0qse or contact Lauren Gunter in the Office of Environmental Health & Safety at 252-328-6166 or guntera@ecu.edu.

In addition, the National Weather Service is seeking personal stories, photos or video related to Hurricane Hazel to include in a planned 60th anniversary project by emailing Sandy.LaCorte@noaa.gov.

–  Crystal Baity