Edgecombe County hurricane guide¶
Edgecombe County Emergency Services in Tarboro runs emergency management, EMS, fire protection, and the Fire Marshal's Office. The county is inland and has no storm surge evacuation zones, so heavy rain, flooding, and high winds are the main dangers when a hurricane or tropical storm comes through. Sign up for the county's ReGroup emergency calls, and if you have medical needs, join the county's Special Medical Needs registry before a storm.
Checked on October 2, 2026
Every phone number and web address on this page was checked against official sources on that date. Details can change, especially during a storm. Always follow instructions from Edgecombe County Emergency Management. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.
Emergency and information numbers¶
| Service | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 911 | Police, fire, and ambulance. Call only when someone's life or property is in danger. |
| Emergency management office | 252-641-7806 | Emergency Services Coordinator for Emergency Management. Office line. Not for emergencies. |
| County information line | 252-641-7835 | Edgecombe County government, 201 St. Andrew St., Tarboro. Office line. Not for emergencies. |
| Sheriff's Office non-emergency | 252-641-7911 | For police matters that are not emergencies. Also the after hours line for county water and sewer problems and for animal service calls. |
| Animal services | 252-641-4112 | Edgecombe County animal shelter, open weekday afternoons. For calls for service, dial 252-641-7911. |
| Water and sewer emergencies | 252-641-7911 | After hours and emergencies for county water and sewer customers. During business hours, call 252-823-3042. |
| Road and traffic conditions (511) | 511 | Road closures and travel conditions. Live operators during the day. Overnight and during emergencies, check DriveNC.gov. |
Official alerts and information¶
- ReGroup emergency notifications: Emergency calls to your phone within minutes of a hazard, with messages left on answering machines and cell phones. Sign up before a storm and add up to two emergency phone numbers. The sign up page is shared by Nash County, Edgecombe County, and the City of Rocky Mount. Website.
- Edgecombe County Emergency Preparedness: County alert sign up and flood, tornado, and lightning safety sheets. Website.
Evacuation centers¶
Open only when announced
Evacuation centers open only when officials announce them, and not every center opens for every storm. Check the official list of open centers before you leave home. Bring your own bedding, food, water, and medicines.
Edgecombe County does not publish a standing list of hurricane shelters. Shelters are a last resort: if you need to evacuate, first plan to stay with friends or relatives. When shelters open, North Carolina Emergency Management lists them on ReadyNC. Medical shelters offer only basic care, a caregiver must come and stay with you, and only service animals are allowed inside, though pets will be sheltered elsewhere if you cannot make other plans.
Official list of open evacuation centers
Help to evacuate¶
- Special Medical Needs Voluntary Registry: A voluntary, confidential list for people who would need help with medical or personal care during an evacuation or in a shelter. Register online before a storm, and do not wait until an evacuation. In a disaster, people on the list can call the Emergency Services Coordinator for information about medical shelters. Residents of nursing homes and assisted living are not eligible. Phone: 252-641-7806. Website.
- Medical shelter information: What to bring to a medical shelter, including a 5 day supply of medicines in their original containers, medical supplies, bedding, and important papers. Website.
- Edgecombe County Animal Services: County animal shelter, run by the Sheriff's Office. Phone: 252-641-4112. Website.
Radio, TV and weather¶
Keep a battery or hand crank radio. When power and cell service fail, radio is often the only way to hear official updates.
Radio stations¶
| Station | Frequency | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| WRDU | 100.7 FM | English | Emergency Alert System primary station (LP1) |
Emergency Alert System roles come from the North Carolina state EAS plan of October 2019, the newest one published.
NOAA Weather Radio¶
A weather radio turns itself on for warnings, even in the middle of the night. Set it to this frequency.
| Station | Frequency | Transmitter |
|---|---|---|
| WNG537 | 162.525 MHz | Windsor |
| WXL59 | 162.475 MHz | Rocky Mount |
TV stations¶
| Station | Channel | Network | Language |
|---|---|---|---|
| WRAL-TV (WRAL) | 5 | NBC | English |
| WTVD (ABC11) | 11 | ABC | English |
| WNCN (CBS 17) | 17 | CBS | English |
| WRAZ (FOX 50) | 50 | Fox | English |
| WUNC-TV (PBS North Carolina) | 4 | PBS | English |
| WUNP-TV (PBS North Carolina) | 36 | PBS | English |
| WUVC-DT (N+ Univision 40) | 40 | Univision | Spanish |
| WRTD-CD (Telemundo Raleigh) | 54 | Telemundo | Spanish |
Official forecasts¶
- National Weather Service Raleigh: Local forecasts, watches, and warnings. Phone: 919-326-1042. Website.
- National Hurricane Center: Official hurricane forecasts, watches, and warnings. Website.
Power, water and debris¶
- Dominion Energy North Carolina: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 866-366-4357. Website.
- Duke Energy Progress: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 800-419-6356. Website.
- Pitt & Greene Electric Membership Corporation: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 800-622-1362. Website.
- City of Rocky Mount Energy Resources: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 252-467-4800. Website.
- Town of Macclesfield (electric): City utility office. The city does not publish a separate outage line. Phone: 252-827-4823. Website.
- Town of Pinetops Electric Utility: City utility office. The city does not publish a separate outage line. Phone: 252-827-4435. Website.
- Town of Sharpsburg (electric): City utility office. The city does not publish a separate outage line. Phone: 252-446-9441. Website.
- Town of Tarboro Electric: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 252-641-4252. Website.
- Wilson Energy (City of Wilson): Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 252-399-2424. Website.
- Edgecombe County Water and Sewer: Weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. After hours and emergencies, call the Sheriff's Office at 252-641-7911. Phone: 252-823-3042. Website.
- Edgecombe County Solid Waste and Landfill: County landfill and solid waste office. Phone: 252-827-4253. Website.
After the storm: help for displaced residents¶
If your home is damaged or you cannot go back, these organizations help with shelter, food, money, and paperwork. Many programs open only after a disaster declaration, so check their pages for current status.
Where to start¶
- NC 211: The 211 helpline for all 100 North Carolina counties, run by United Way of North Carolina. Free and confidential, in most languages. Dial 211 at any hour. From outside North Carolina, call 888-892-1162. Phone: 211. Website.
Housing and shelter¶
- FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers: After a federal declaration, these centers help you apply for aid in person. Use the locator to find the nearest one. Phone: 1-800-621-3362. Website.
Food¶
- Inter-Faith Food Shuttle: Free food at mobile markets and pantries in Wake, Durham, Johnston, Orange, Chatham, Nash, and Edgecombe counties. Call for help finding food near you. Phone: 919-250-0043. Website.
- Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina: Regional food bank for 34 counties in central and eastern North Carolina. Find a pantry or mobile market by ZIP code on its site. Raleigh headquarters. The food bank has six branches. Phone: 919-875-0707. Website.
Money, work and insurance¶
- DisasterAssistance.gov: Apply for FEMA aid after a federal declaration. Phone: 1-800-621-3362. Website.
- SBA disaster loans: Low interest loans for homeowners, renters, and businesses after a declared disaster. Phone: 800-659-2955. Website.
Legal help¶
- Legal Aid of North Carolina: Free civil legal help for low-income residents of all 100 counties, including problems after a disaster with housing, insurance, benefits, and contractors. Also written 1-866-219-LANC. Apply by phone, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday to Friday, or apply online. Phone: 1-866-219-5262. Website.
Emotional support¶
- Trillium Health Resources: The public LME/MCO that manages mental health, substance use, and developmental disability services in 46 eastern and central counties. Behavioral Health Crisis Line, answered by licensed clinicians 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Member and Recipient Services: 1-877-685-2415. For a crisis at any hour, you can also call or text 988. Phone: 1-888-302-0738. Website.
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text, any time. Phone: 988.
Relief organizations¶
- American Red Cross Northeastern North Carolina Chapter: The Red Cross chapter for 21 counties in northeastern North Carolina. It runs shelters and gives emergency help after disasters and home fires. Chapter office in Greenville. For disaster help at any hour, call 1-800-733-2767. Phone: 252-355-3800. Website.
Cities and towns¶
Each city has its own services and some have their own alerts. The county's evacuation zones, evacuation centers, and emergency alerts cover everyone, in every city and in unincorporated areas.
Related guides¶
- Should I evacuate?
- What to expect at a hurricane shelter
- Hurricane supply list
- After a hurricane: the first 24 hours
- Insurance claims and disaster aid
Sources¶
Checked on October 2, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.
- https://www.edgecombecountync.gov/departments/emergency_services/staff.php
- https://www.edgecombecountync.gov/departments/emergency_services/index.php
- https://www.edgecombecountync.gov/departments/sheriff/index.php
- https://www.edgecombecountync.gov/departments/sheriff/animal_control.php
- https://www.edgecombecountync.gov/departments/water_and_sewer/index.php
- https://www.ncdot.gov/travel-maps/traffic-travel/511-information/Pages/default.aspx
- https://www.edgecombecountync.gov/how_do_i_(faq)/code_red_notification_system.php
- https://www.edgecombecountync.gov/departments/emergency_services/emergency_preparedness.php
- https://www.edgecombecountync.gov/departments/special_medical_needs/medical_shelter_information.php
- https://www.edgecombecountync.gov/departments/special_medical_needs/special_medical_needs_voluntary_registry.php
- https://www.edgecombecountync.gov/departments/solid_waste_landfill/index.php
- https://www.weather.gov/source/nwr/JS/CCL.js
- https://api.weather.gov/zones/county/NCC065
- https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WRDU
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WRAL-TV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WTVD
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WNCN
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WRAZ
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WUNC-TV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WUNP-TV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WUVC-DT
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WRTD-CD
- https://www.dominionenergy.com/north-carolina/report-outage-or-emergency
- https://www.duke-energy.com/safety-and-preparedness/overhead-power-lines
- https://pgemc.com/report-an-outage/
- https://www.rockymountnc.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=122
- https://macclesfield.municipalimpact.com/electric-utilities
- https://townofpinetopsnc.com/electric-utility
- https://www.sharpsburgnc.com/
- https://www.tarboro-nc.com/departments/utilities/electric/electric_emergency_services.php
- https://www.wilsonnc.org/residents/all-departments/wilson-energy/electric/report-an-outage
- https://egateway.fema.gov/ESF6/DRCLocator
- https://www.disasterassistance.gov/
- https://www.sba.gov/disaster/
- https://www.trilliumhealthresources.org/about-us
- https://nc211.org/about/
- https://foodshuttle.org/findfood/
- https://foodbankcenc.org/locations
- https://legalaidnc.org/topic/disaster/
- https://www.redcross.org/local/north-carolina/about-us/locations/northeastern-north-carolina-chapter.html