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Gaston County hurricane guide

The Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services, in Gastonia, plans and coordinates the county's response to incidents, runs the county Emergency Operations Center, and monitors flood possibilities from lakes, rivers, and streams. This is an inland Piedmont county with no storm surge evacuation zones. The county has two river gauges, on Long Creek in Bessemer City and on the South Fork River in Lowell, and points residents along creeks and rivers to the USGS site. Sign up for Alert Gaston or Nixle 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 Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.

What to know in Gaston County

  • The county Office of Emergency Management is also responsible for planning a response, notification, and evacuation of the parts of Gaston County within 10 miles of the McGuire and Catawba Nuclear Stations. It also monitors flood possibilities from lakes, rivers, and streams.

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 704-866-3350 Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Office line. Not for emergencies.
County information line 704-866-3000 Gaston County Government main line, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Office line. Not for emergencies.
Sheriff's Office 704-869-6800 Main office line. For emergencies, call 911.
Road and traffic conditions (511) 511 Road closures and conditions. From outside North Carolina, call 877-511-4662. Overnight and during emergencies, use DriveNC.gov.

Official alerts and information

  • Alert Gaston (Everbridge): The county's emergency notification system. Sign in or sign up before a storm. Website.
  • Gaston County Nixle: Community information by Nixle. The county invites residents to sign up. Website.
  • Gaston County Emergency Information: River gauges, USGS link, the Emergency Disaster Checklist, the Personal Disaster Plan, and the emergency preparedness kit list. 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.

Gaston County does not publish a list of shelters in advance. The county's page on what to take to a shelter lists medicine and baby supplies for at least 3 days, children's toys and favorite blankets, and pillows, and asks you not to bring pets to the shelter. Watch Alert Gaston and county announcements for information about shelters, and do not go to a site until it is announced.

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.

Sources

Checked on October 2, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.