With Tropical Storm Isaias in the rearview mirror, Gloucester County Emergency Management officials are urging residents to prepare as peak hurricane season approaches and the nation continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Although it’s always of the utmost importance, having an evacuation plan and being prepared is even more serious this year,” said Brett Major, Gloucester’s Emergency Management Coordinator. “Residents should make advance arrangements in efforts to avoid congregate (large group) sheltering if at all possible, asthere is still a risk of COVID-19 transmission in congregate sheltering facilities, despite all of our advance plans to mitigate its spread.”

With shelter capacity also being limited due to social distancing requirements, it is imperative that residents try to identify their own shelter location outside of an evacuation zone—perhaps with friends or family, Major said.

Residents who do require the safety of a county shelter will be limited in w...