A week ago, as we watched images of Hurricane Irene creeping furiously closer to the North Carolina coastline, I never imagined I would so soon be sitting here as a guest in the Outer Banks — one of the most beautiful spots in the United States. In conversations with locals, observers, and fellow guests like me, I’ve learned some interesting things about how this community comes together in the face of a hurricane, how social media helped (and didn’t help) inform the broader public about Hurricane Irene, and how each of us should appreciate this hearty, but simulataneously fragile, part of the beautiful North Carolina coast.
As tourists, we were torn as to whether or not it would be helpful – or harmful – to return to the Outer Banks so soon after Irene had left the East Coast and as the local communities cleaned-up, rebuilt and got back to normal. What we found from all angles…official channels and the locals we met…was a message of resilience and welcome. A number of people said that tourists may have been let back in too early (by about 8 or 24 hours) but qualified this comment saying that it was less a matter of safety as a question of convenience and preparedness.
A manager of a business that is popular with tourists said, “When you came back, so did our jobs…so of course we wanted this place to open up as fast as possible…but a few more hours would have been helpful.”
A music teacher from a local middle school told us in very frank terms, “We need the Outer Banks back in business. Go spend your money…but remember a lot of people lost a lot and are rebuilding.”
On a similar note, a man who specializes in clean-up after disasters such as hurricanes and flooding commented, “It was a bit early, but we needed everyone back this week. It’s the end of the season and every dollar counts.”
I have asked about a dozen people thus far if having the tourists back this week was a good idea or a bad one. The responses have all been similar to those above. What has most impressed me, however, are the tales of resilience, community service, volunteerism and heroism of some of the communities who were hardest hit by the hurricane. I heard an interview with the mayor of Kitty Hawk, NC, and was moved by his description of the first 24-48 hours after the hurricane, as people came together to check on one another and serve. It has been an honor to listen first-hand to how the people of the Outer Banks band together at a moment like this. We have been trying to do our part in a very humble way (through a combination of cleaning where we can, staying out of the way and helping the economy by doing what tourists do, of course), but am more humbled by the experience of being here while this part of history is happening to the Outer Banks. I am learning a lot about the different hurricanes of the past, how people view them, and what it means to live in a place like this that is no stranger to storms. It’s solidified my respect and love for the place and its people.
Irene put a small hole in the roof in our home in Arlington, VA, but what I’ve seen this week has put an indelible mark in my heart when it comes to the people of the Outer Banks.
P.S. It was fascinating to watch how social media worked on behalf of locals, tourists, and observers during the first few days after the storm. Currituck County’s website was refreshed often and was referred to by trusted people in my Twitterverse. The property management company Twiddy did something interesting by posting real-time information about property damage (granted, of rental homes, but interesting nonetheless) with some images, and descriptions of each. The Brindley Beach property management company also maintained an informative, and respectful, social media stream that was useful from both an emergency management and tourism information perspective. The Town of Duck’s Facebook page was refreshed often and was a helpful source of information including safety tips for locals, homeowners, visitors and those deciding whether or not to come to the Outer Banks. Local radio 104.1 broadcast live updates throughout the days after the hurricane, pointing people to road closures, shelters, and ways people could volunteer to help. While I did not hear 104.1 using social media, a number of trusted Twitter and Facebook sources were using their info to help spread useful information about post-Irene status. A special thanks to @PrestonCNN and @JWeb for your twitter updates and references!