Town Advising Residents to Prepare and Hunker Down For Irene

Hurricane Irene at present appears to be barreling her way toward the Northeast and is predicted to bring high winds, heavy rain and surging tides to Connecticut starting late Sunday-early Monday. As is to be expected, coastal towns will be at the highest risk for storm damage — and that of course includes Greenwich.

As such town officials are advising residents to prepare for the storm ahead of time (as opposed to waiting until the last minute to see if the storm actually hits). That means stocking up on non-perishable foods, water and batteries — and gasoline for those homeowners with portable generators.

It’s also wise to make sure mobile devices are charged and ready in the event power is lost (however a car charger can solve this issue), as some broadband phone systems are reliant on electricity to operate. Coolers are also good to have for keeping perishables cold.

In a release Greenwich officials said they will make use of the town’s Reverse 911 telephone system, if needed, “to send a recorded message to each resident that has a published number… residents with non-published numbers must sign on through the Town’s website.”

Cell phone numbers can also be programmed for contact through the town website, which will also provide updates as the storm passes.

Prior to the storm arriving, the town advises residents to hold family and/or neighbor meetings to discuss individual needs. Residents are also advised to protect their valuable assets if they are leaving town, or in case there is a need to seek other shelter. Residents are also advised to factor their pets into their planning.

Boat owners, obviously, must take action in order to protect their vessels. They are advised to moor their boats if necessary.

If power is lost in your home, the town advises that you shut off the main breaker in your basement, in addition to turning off all major appliances.

Perhaps most importantly, town officials are advising residents to stay put during the storm — and that means having a small cache of emergency supplies.

Finally, the town reminds residents that portable generators “should be used with caution. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and never operate a generator indoors.”

Further, the release warns, “Do not supply generator power to your home’s main line as you may injure a utility employee.”

For more information on hurricane preparedness, visit The American Red Cross website or click here.

In its release the town provided phone numbers for the utility companies serving Greenwich, as well as the non-emergency numbers for various town departments — which Patch recommends you program into your cell phone, because chances are you won't be reading them here if the power goes out:

Utilities:

Aquarion Water Company 1-800-732-9678

Northeast Utilities (203) 386-2000

Connecticut Natural Gas company (203) 869-6900

Town Departments:

Town of Greenwich – www.greenwichct.org (203) 622-7700

Greenwich Department of Health, Division of Environmental Services (203)-622-7838

Greenwich Fire Department non-emergency (203)-622-3950

Greenwich Police Department non-emergency (203)-622-8003

Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Service – American Medical Response (AMR) 1-800-379-7700

Department of Parks and Recreation Tree Division (203)-622-7824

Greenwich Chapter, American Red Cross (203)-869-8444

Greenwich Department of Social Services (203)-622-3800

Greenwich Hospital (203) 863-3000

Connecticut Poison Control 1-800-222-1222