Prepare for Hurricane Sandy

[Gwendolyn Hallsmith]

Hi all - apologies if you get this message more than once.

Hurricane Sandy is heading north, and it is very likely that we will be experiencing high winds, heavy rains, and possibly some flooding early next week.  Right now, the worst of the storm is projected to go south of us, but we won't know for sure until Sunday or Monday.  Here is a list of things you can do to be prepared for it, and to help the city prepare:

 
Household Preparations
 
1.    Make sure you and your family are safe first.
2.    Keep extra batteries, flashlights and a battery operated radio on hand just in case you lose power.
3.    Make sure you have enough water, canned goods and non-perishable items that will last at least 3 days.
4.    If you lose power and run a generator, make sure it is always run outside and that exhaust is NOT entering the home.  Every home should have a carbon monoxide detector.
5.    Know the emergency evacuation route for your area in case you are evacuated.
6.    Plan ahead and have an evacuation bag ready in case you are evacuated with any medication you need, and other necessities.
7.    Please be careful with auxiliary heating devices - the exhaust can be fatal if they are not designed for indoor use.

Neighborhood/City Preparations
 
1.  Please take some notice of storm drains in your area.  This time of year, leaves can block them.  It would help a lot for people to help us make sure they're clear.
 
2.  Please check in on elder neighbors, or neighbors you have who might have special needs.  Power outages can often mean a lack of heat; furnaces often require electricity.
 
3.  The city personnel can't be everywhere at once, and if we have flooding we will be taking action that prioritizes human health and safety.  This means we will not have equipment available for residents or businesses to use for flooded basements, or protecting property.  Please take whatever steps you need to prepare for this.

For More Information

Download the Family Preparedness Workbook from the city web site.
Monitor the Flood Information page of the city web site for updates
For more information about emergency preparedness, check the Vermont Emergency Managementweb site

Thanks, Gwen.

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__________________________________
Gwendolyn Hallsmith

Director, Department of Planning and Community Development

City Hall
39 Main Street
Montpelier, VT  05602
ghall...@montpelier-vt.org
802-262-6269