FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – With Hurricane Idalia expected to bring strong winds, heavy rain and flooding to the area tonight through mid-day Thursday, Cumberland County Emergency Services will open two emergency shelters for residents who need a safe place to go during the storm.

The County will open Smith Recreation Center at 1520 Slater Avenue and Kiwanis Recreation Center at 352 Devers Street today beginning at 7 p.m. to serve as emergency shelters during the storm.

Cumberland County Emergency Services encourages residents to stay safe and informed during the storm. The County will share information related to the storm through Cumberland Alerts, as well as on the County website and through County social media pages.

Cumberland Alerts is a free alert system that allows residents to receive critical information related to incidents such as severe weather, evacuations, protective actions and more. Notifications can be sent to your home, mobile or business phone, email and by text messages. To sign up for Cumberland Alerts, go to the County’s website at cumberlandcountync.gov and click on the Cumberland Alerts icon at the bottom of the page.

In addition to signing up for Cumberland Alerts, you can stay informed during Hurricane Idalia and any other time by visiting the County’s website at cumberlandcountync.gov or County social media pages at facebook.com/CCNCGov, facebook.com/CumberlandCountyNC911 and twitter.com/CCNCGov.