The original item was published from 3/19/2018 1:23:19 PM to 11/30/2019 12:00:05 AM.

News Flash

Public Works

Posted on: March 15, 2018

[ARCHIVED] City plans to put evacuation zone stickers on residential trash containers

March 19, 2018 – Starting on Monday, April 2, Hampton’s Public Works Department and Office of Emergency Management will begin a campaign to put special “Know Your Zone” stickers on more than 45,000 residential trash containers throughout the city.

On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, volunteers will follow city trash trucks on their pickup routes and place A, B, C or D stickers on trash containers while they are at the curb. Each sticker will be specific to the household’s evacuation zone. For example, a household in zone A - which is most at risk of flooding during a serious storm - gets a blue sticker with an A on it; a B household gets a green sticker with a B on it; a C household gets an orange sticker with a C on it; and a D household – least likely to see flooding - gets a red sticker with a D on it. Volunteers will also put a “Know Your Zone” door hanger on each trash container.

“Know Your Zone” is the name of the campaign the state adopted late last year after unveiling a new zoned evacuation system for coastal areas. Because the zones were developed using the latest technology and recent flooding information, officials say the new system will help residents avoid unnecessary travel, reduce highway congestion, ease overcrowding at local storm shelters, and boost public safety.

Virginia’s “Know Your Zone” website says: “Depending on the emergency, being safe might mean staying at home, a short trip to higher ground, or traveling to a different region of the state.”

Households that don’t receive a sticker on their trash container after the campaign ends are encouraged to contact Hampton’s Citizen Contact Center at 3-1-1 (using a landline) or 757-727-8311 (from a cell phone or from outside Hampton). A separate effort will be made to make sure townhomes, commercial property owners and apartment residents know their evacuation zone.

“Know Your Zone” information is also available on the city’s website and from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. Just go online and type in your address to learn your zone.