Hurricane Florence, which has been dancing out to sea for days, has just started to assault the Carolina coastline. To provide more resources for the response to this weather event, state government agencies have reportedly dramatically reduced the personnel previously scheduled to support public safety, transportation and health-related matters at WEG. This includes soldiers from the National Guard and the Division of Public Health’s on-site presence (although they will continue to support local public health officials involved with the Games remotely with any environmental health and communicable disease concerns.) A mobile emergency department from the Office of Emergency Management at WEG was also recently re-deployed back to the coast as part of the Hurricane Florence response.
Tonight, the eventing ground jury will be meeting to strike a plan for a shortened cross-country course should the need arise because of adverse ground conditions.
Hopefully all in its path will be safe; it will likely only manifest in the Tryon area as heavy rain by the time it gets here Saturday and/or Sunday. And even a force of nature like Mark Bellissimo cannot control the weather.