Did Norfolk properly prepare for storm?

NORFOLK, Va - WAVY.com is investigating whether or not Norfolk took care of the most needy residents during the recent nor'easter. From November 11 through November 13, Hampton Roads was struck by a storm that in many ways was just as bad as Hurricane Isabel. Following our investigation, Norfolk's emergency management director admits he failed to fully grasp the severity of the storm.

Ron Keys, Norfolk's Emergency Management Director, stated he was using information from the National Weather Service to make decisions, but did he fail to properly interpret that information, and did he fail to properly respond to a severe weather event many saw coming days out?

WAVY.com found Shawn Ward stranded at the height of the storm, flooded out and chased from his home. He blames Keys and the City of Norfolk for their slow response. "The city should have done more to prepare for this. They should have come out to our homes and said evacuate immediately. Then we would have left," Ward says.

Wednesday, November 11 at 2:40 p.m., Ron Keys told WAVY-TV reporters he thought this was "just nuisance flooding," even though we were already into the nor'easter. Reporters told him East Ocean View was flooding above front doors.

Keys was getting his information from The National Weather Service (NWS) which was reporting low pressure...high pressure clash...classic nor'easter...tidal flooding...tides 4 feet above normal. Keys says the NWS did not have the intensity prediction that WAVY-TV did.  He said, "We can only go on the data we get and the data we got from the National Weather Service."

WAVY.com reported it would be as bad as Isabel Tuesday before the storm. Meteorologist John Cash said, "We knew on Tuesday this would be a significant flooding event...absolutely...historic is what I said....it was not a surprise to me how it unfolded...of course not."

No surprise to Cash. No surprise to Governor Kaine who on Wednesday night using the same NWS information declared a State of Emergency.

Ocean View was flooding all Wednesday, and yet no shelters were open. Thursday morning at 5:00 a.m. citizens were calling the city for help. Finally, four more hours would pass, at 8:50 a.m. Thursday the City finally ordered for shelters to open.

The word would not get out to many because the city waited so long to make the decision. Shawn Ward wouldn't get the word until Friday morning. "I was really mad. I'm very upset with the the city. The city should've done more. We should've been told to leave Wednesday morning. I would've been out of here quick."

Keys admits what is painfully obvious now, "If I knew the storm was going to be as bad as it was, I would've opened shelters prior to the event...opening shelters would have been a good idea." It is now clear based on all the information available, the shelters should have opened Wednesday at noon. The media should have been alerted, and city workers should have gone into risk neighborhoods and spread the word. Perhaps this can be a new standard operating procedure for the City of Norfolk.