As of October 31, 2012 at 10:00 a.m.

Emergency Route – [Rodanthe – Stumpy Point]

A schedule is now in place for the emergency ferry between Rodanthe and Stumpy Point. At this time, Priorities One, Two and Three will have access to and from Hatteras Island. Visitors will not be allowed to enter Hatteras Island yet, but will be allowed to depart. Essential commodities, as determined by DCEM will have top priority.

Priority One includes – Essential personnel (utilities, government, assessment teams, medical/health care), white Disaster Re-entry Permit/Critical Personnel Pass required;

Priority Two includes – Hatteras Island residents (must have a valid NC driver’s license with Hatteras physical address), personnel of crucial businesses (Orange re-entry permit/Priority II personnel pass required); and

Priority Three includes – Non-resident property owners and employees of Hatteras Island businesses (2012-2013 Burgundy reentry permit required). ** Non-resident property owners can also bring their tax bill and a matching photo ID to gain access. **

There will be law enforcement in place at the emergency route to determine re-entry status.

Please contact Dare County Emergency Management at (252) 473-5655 for additional information on re-entry guidelines.

The Emergency Route schedule beginning Oct. 31, 2012, will be:

Departing Stumpy Point at 6 a.m., 8, 10, noon, 2 p.m., 4 and 10; and

Departing Rodanthe at 7 a.m., 9, 11, 1 p.m., 3, 5 and 7.

There may be areas along NC 12 that are impassable at this time due to sand and water on the road, but NCDOT continues working and expects to have all areas of NC 12 south of Rodanthe cleared before the 7 p.m. ferry departs Rodanthe.

Hatteras-Ocracoke Route

The Hatteras-Ocracoke route will begin operating once sand is cleared off NC 12 from Ocracoke Village to the ferry dock.

Ferry information is available by calling 800-293-3779 (BY-FERRY) and pressing 1, or via Twitter at www.twitter.com/ncdot_ferry.