JACKSON — Northampton County emergency officials are preparing for Hurricane Irene as well as sheltering coastal evacuees from the large storm.

According to Northampton County Emergency Management Coordinator Brian Parnell, the Northampton County Cultural and Wellness Center in Jackson is on stand-by to open at 10 a.m. Friday for coastal evacuees from Currituck and Dare counties.

Recent media reports indicate all Dare County residents have been ordered to begin evacuating by 8 a.m. Friday.

Parnell stressed the shelter is only for coastal evacuees. There are currently no plans to open local shelters.

“Right now we’re on standby and we’re looking at what Currituck and Dare are going to do,” he said.

As for emergency plans in general, Parnell said the county is preparing and “ramping everything up.”