Hurricane Sandy Post
US Superstorm threat launches mass evacuations
Source - AP News
By ALLEN G. BREED
October 27, 2012
SHIP BOTTOM, N.J. (AP) - Forget distinctions like tropical storm or hurricane. Don’t get fixated on a particular track. Wherever it hits, the rare behemoth storm inexorably gathering in the eastern U.S. will afflict a third of the country with sheets of rain, high winds and heavy snow, say officials who warned millions in coastal areas to get out of the way.
‘‘We’re looking at impact of greater than 50 to 60 million people,’’ said Louis Uccellini, head of environmental prediction for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
As Hurricane Sandy barreled north from the Caribbean - where it left nearly five dozen dead - to meet two other powerful winter storms, experts said it didn’t matter how strong the storm was when it hit land: The rare hybrid storm that follows will cause havoc over 800 miles from the East Coast to the Great Lakes.
‘‘This is not a coastal threat alone,’’ said Craig Fugate, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. ‘‘This is a very large area.’’
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie declared a state of emergency Saturday as hundreds of coastal residents started moving inland and the state was set to close its casinos. New York’s governor was considering shutting down the subways to avoid flooding and half a dozen states warned residents to prepare for several days of lost power.
Sandy weakened briefly to a tropical storm early Saturday but was soon back up to Category 1 strength, packing 75 mph winds about 355 miles southeast of Charleston, S.C., as of 8 p.m. Experts said the storm was most likely to hit the southern New Jersey coastline by late Monday or early Tuesday.
Governors from North Carolina, where heavy rain was expected Sunday, to Connecticut declared states of emergency. Delaware ordered mandatory evacuations for coastal communities by 8 p.m. Sunday.
Christie, who was widely criticized for not interrupting a family vacation in Florida while a snowstorm pummeled the state in 2010, broke off campaigning for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in North Carolina on Friday to return home.
‘‘I can be as cynical as anyone,’’ the pugnacious chief executive said in a bit of understatement Saturday. ‘‘But when the storm comes, if it’s as bad as they’re predicting, you’re going to wish you weren’t as cynical as you otherwise might have been.’’
The storm forced the presidential campaign to juggle schedules. Romney scrapped plans to campaign Sunday in the swing state of Virginia and switched his schedule for the day to Ohio. First lady Michelle Obama canceled an appearance in New Hampshire for Tuesday, and President Barack Obama moved a planned Monday departure for Florida to Sunday night to beat the storm.
In Ship Bottom, just north of Atlantic City, Alice and Giovanni Stockton-Rossini spent Saturday packing clothing in the backyard of their home, a few hundred yards from the ocean on Long Beach Island. Their neighborhood was under a voluntary evacuation order, but they didn’t need to be forced.
‘‘It’s really frightening,’’ Alice Stockton-Rossi said. ‘‘But you know how many times they tell you, ‘This is it, it’s really coming and it’s really the big one’ and then it turns out not to be? I'm afraid people will tune it out because of all the false alarms before ... (but) this one might be the one.’’
A few blocks away, Russ Linke was taking no chances. He and his wife secured the patio furniture, packed the bicycles into the pickup truck, and headed off the island.
What makes the storm so dangerous and unusual is that it is coming at the tail end of hurricane season and the beginning of winter storm season, ‘‘so it’s kind of taking something from both,’’ said Jeff Masters, director of the private service Weather Underground.
Masters said the storm could be bigger than the worst East Coast storm on record - the 1938 New England hurricane known as the Long Island Express, which killed nearly 800 people. ‘‘Part hurricane, part nor'easter - all trouble,’’ he said. Experts said to expect high winds over 800 miles and up to 2 feet of snow as far inland as West Virginia.
And the storm was so big, and the convergence of the three storms so rare, that ‘‘we just can’t pinpoint who is going to get the worst of it,’’ said Rick Knabb, director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Officials are particularly worried about the possibility of subway flooding in New York City, said Uccellini.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to prepare to shut the city’s subways, buses and suburban trains by Sunday, but delayed making a final decision. The city shut the subways down before last year’s Hurricane Irene, and a Columbia University study predicted that an Irene surge just 1 foot higher would have paralyzed lower Manhattan.
Up and down the Eastern Seaboard and far inland, officials urged residents and businesses to prepare in big ways and little.
The Virginia National Guard was authorized to call up to 500 troops to active duty for debris removal and road-clearing, while homeowners stacked sandbags at their front doors in coastal towns. At a Home Depot in Virginia Beach, employee Dave Jusino said the store was swamped with customers.
‘‘We have organized chaos, is what I call it,’’ Jusino said. ‘‘We organize a group of 10 associates, give them certain responsibilities and we just separate the lines, organize four customers at a time, load up their cars and get them out the door and then take the next customers.’’
Utility officials warned rains could saturate the ground, causing trees to topple into power lines, and told residents to prepare for several days at home without power. ‘‘We’re facing a very real possibility of widespread, prolonged power outages,’’ said Ruth Miller, spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
Warren Ellis, who was on an annual fishing pilgrimage on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, didn’t act fast enough to get home. Ellis’ 73-year-old father managed to get off uninhabited Portsmouth Island near Cape Hatteras by ferry Friday. But the son and his camper got stranded when high winds and surf forced the ferry service to suspend operations Saturday.
‘‘We might not get off here until Tuesday or Wednesday, which doesn’t hurt my feelings that much,’’ said Ellis, 44, of Amissville, Va. ‘‘Because the fishing’s going to be really good after this storm.’’
Last year, Hurricane Irene poked a new inlet through the island, cutting the only road off Hatteras Island for about 4,000.
In Connecticut, the Naval Submarine Base in Groton prepared to install flood gates and pile up sandbags to protect against flooding while its five submarines remain in port through the storm.
Lobsterman Greg Griffen in Maine wasn’t taking any chances; he moved 100 of his traps to deep water, where they are less vulnerable to shifting and damage in a storm.
‘‘Some of my competitors have been pulling their traps and taking them right home,’’ said Griffen. The dire forecast ‘‘sort of encouraged them to pull the plug on the season.’’
In Muncy Valley in northern Pennsylvania, Rich Fry learned his lesson from last year, when Tropical Storm Lee inundated his Katie’s Country Store.
In between helping customers picking up necessities Saturday, Fry was moving materials above the flood line. Fry said he was still trying to recover from the losses of last year’s storm, when he estimates he lost $35,000 in merchandise.
‘‘It will take a lot of years to cover that,’’ he said.
Christie’s emergency declaration will force the shutdown of Atlantic City’s 12 casinos for only the fourth time in the 34-year history of legalized gambling here. The approach of Hurricane Irene shut down the casinos for three days last August.
Atlantic City officials said they would begin evacuating the gambling hub’s 30,000 residents at noon Sunday, busing them to mainland shelters and schools.
Tom Foley, Atlantic City’s emergency management director, recalled the March 1962 storm when the ocean and the bay met in the center of the city.
‘‘This is predicted to get that bad,’’ he said.
Eighty-five-year-old former sailor Ray Leonard said if he had loved ones living in the projected landfall area, he would tell them to leave. Leonard knows to heed the warnings.
He and two crewmates in his 32-foot sailboat, Satori, rode out 1991’s infamous ‘‘perfect storm,’’ made famous by the Sebastian Junger bestseller of the same name, before being plucked from the Atlantic off Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., by a Coast Guard helicopter.
‘‘Don’t be rash,’’ Leonard said in a telephone interview Saturday from his home in Fort Myers, Fla. ‘‘Because if this does hit, you’re going to lose all those little things you've spent the last 20 years feeling good about.’’
[Additional Articles]
AP News - 'Frankenstorm': Worse than sum of its parts
NYTimes - Urgent Warnings as Hurricane Sandy Heads to Northeast
Hurricane Sandy: Storm threat to key US election week
State of Emergency declared ahead of storm Sandy for the following states:
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- Virginia
- Washington, D.C.
- Rhode Island
Latest News - **LAST UPDATE 10/28 - 6:30PM EST
Obama's Speech (Sorry, can't embed)
Metro-North - service suspension starting at 7pm
CT - Mandatory and Voluntary evacuation list, UConn closing campuses but keeping dorms open
Rhode Island - State of emergency declared
Mass - State office buildings closed on 10/29 & Non-emergency state workers to stay home.
PA - SEPTA suspending service at 12:30am
Maryland - Voluntary and Mandatory Evacs in certain areas; Early voting cancelled for 10/29
NYC - Mandatory evacuation from Zone A; Trains being shut down starting at 7pm; Bus service suspended at 9pm; Staten Island Ferry service suspended at 8pm; Public Schools closed 10/29;
Eastern Virginia - officials considering evac order for low-lying areas
NJ - Full suspension of NJ transit starting this afternoon; PATH Train service suspended at midnight
DC - public schools closed; US OPM - federal buildings closed to public, non-emergency personnel to stay home
North Carolina - Flooding is a concern for residents along the coast and sound. Along the ocean, residents should be prepared for storm surge of 1 to 5 feet above ground level with heaviest amounts expected north of Cape Hatteras. On the sound side, residents should expect flooding of 3 to 5 feet above ground level with the highest amounts anticipated from Buxton through Ocracoke
Reuter's Liveblog - Sandy
NYTimes Hurricane Sandy Map
Amtrak Service Changes
NYC - MTA prepares for system-wide shutdown
(Travelers please note that bridges may be closed with windspeeds above 60mph)
NYC public hospitals canceling outpatient appointments and elective surgeries for Oct 29-30
NJ - Gambling Suspension; Garden State Toll Suspension; NJTransit - Transfers from Bus-Rail-Lightrail allowed
I didn't see anything aside from basic disaster plans on the websites from the other states that have declared emergencies. If anyone has additional info on shutdowns and whatnot, please comment and I'll add it in. :)
[Safety tips from Fema]
Hurricane Preparedness
Before a Hurricane
-To begin preparing, you should build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan.
-Know your surroundings.
-Learn the elevation level of your property and whether the land is flood-prone. This will help you know how your property will be affected when storm surge or tidal flooding are forecasted.
-Identify levees and dams in your area and determine whether they pose a hazard to you.
Learn community hurricane evacuation routes and how to find higher ground. Determine where you would go and how you would get there if you needed to evacuate.
Make plans to secure your property:
-Cover all of your home’s windows. Permanent storm shutters offer the best protection for windows. A second option is to board up windows with 5/8” marine plywood, cut to fit and ready to install. Tape does not prevent windows from breaking.
-Install straps or additional clips to securely fasten your roof to the frame structure. This will reduce roof damage.
-Be sure trees and shrubs around your home are well trimmed so they are more wind resistant.
-Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts.
-Reinforce your garage doors; if wind enters a garage it can cause dangerous and expensive structural damage.
-Plan to bring in all outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage cans and anything else that is not tied down.
-Determine how and where to secure your boat.
-Install a generator for emergencies.
-If in a high-rise building, be prepared to take shelter on or below the 10th floor.
-Consider building a safe room.
Everyone is at risk and should consider flood insurance protection.
During a Hurricane
-Listen to the radio or TV for information.
-Secure your home, close storm shutters and secure outdoor objects or bring them indoors.
-Turn off utilities if instructed to do so. Otherwise, turn the refrigerator thermostat to its coldest setting and keep its doors closed.
-Turn off propane tanks
-Avoid using the phone, except for serious emergencies.
-Moor your boat if time permits.
-Ensure a supply of water for sanitary purpose such as cleaning and flushing toilets. Fill the bathtub and other larger containers with water.
-Find out how to keep food safe during and after and emergency.
You should evacuate under the following conditions:
-If you are directed by local authorities to do so. Be sure to follow their instructions.
-If you live in a mobile home or temporary structure - such shelter are particularly hazardous during hurricane no matter how well fastened to the ground.
-If you live in a high-rise building - hurricane winds are stronger at higher elevations.
-If you live on the coast, on a floodplain, near a river, or on an island waterway.
Read more about evacuating yourself and your family. If you are unable to evacuate, go to your wind-safe room. If you do not have one, follow these guidelines:
-Stay indoors during the hurricane and away from windows and glass doors.
-Close all interior doors - secure and brace external doors.
-Keep curtains and blinds closed. Do not be fooled if there is a lull; it could be the eye of the storm - winds will pick up again.
-Take refuge in a small interior room, closet or hallway on the lowest level.
-Lie on the floor under a table or another sturdy object.
-Avoid elevators.
After a Hurricane
-Continue listening to a NOAA Weather Radio or the local news for the latest updates.
-Stay alert for extended rainfall and subsequent flooding even after the hurricane or tropical storm has ended.
-If you have become separated from your family, use your family communications plan or contact FEMA or the American Red Cross.
-FEMA has established the National Emergency Family Registry and Locator System (NEFRLS), which has been developed to help reunite families who are separated during a disaster. The NEFRLS system will enable displaced individuals the ability to enter personal information into a website database so that they can be located by others during a disaster.
The American Red Cross also maintains a database to help you find family. Contact the local American Red Cross chapter where you are staying for information. Do not contact the chapter in the disaster area.
-If you evacuated, return home only when officials say it is safe.
-If you cannot return home and have immediate housing needs. Text SHELTER + your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest shelter in your area (example: shelter 12345).
-For those who have longer-term housing needs, FEMA offers several types of assistance, including services and grants to help people repair their homes and find replacement housing.
Drive only if necessary and avoid flooded roads and washed¬ out bridges. Stay off the streets. If you must go out watch for fallen objects; downed electrical wires; and weakened walls, bridges, roads, and sidewalks.
-Keep away from loose or dangling power lines and report them immediately to the power company.
-Walk carefully around the outside your home and check for loose power lines, gas leaks and structural damage before entering.
-Stay out of any building if you smell gas, floodwaters remain around the building or your home was damaged by fire and the authorities have not declared it safe.
-Inspect your home for damage. Take pictures of damage, both of the building and its contents, for insurance purposes. If you have any doubts about safety, have your residence inspected by a qualified building inspector or structural engineer before entering.
-Use battery-powered flashlights in the dark. Do NOT use candles. Note: The flashlight should be turned on outside before entering - the battery may produce a spark that could ignite leaking gas, if present.
-Watch your pets closely and keep them under your direct control. Watch out for wild animals, especially poisonous snakes. Use a stick to poke through debris.
-Avoid drinking or preparing food with tap water until you are sure it’s not contaminated.
-Check refrigerated food for spoilage. If in doubt, throw it out.
-Wear protective clothing and be cautious when cleaning up to avoid injury.
-Use the telephone only for emergency calls.
-NEVER use a generator inside homes, garages, crawlspaces, sheds, or similar areas, even when using fans or opening doors and windows for ventilation. Deadly levels of carbon monoxide can quickly build up in these areas and can linger for hours, even after the generator has shut off.
[Basic Disaster Supply Kit]
Fema's Basic Disaster Supply Kit
-Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
-Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
-Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
-Flashlight and extra batteries
-First aid kit
-Whistle to signal for help
-Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
-Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
-Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
-Manual can opener for food
-Local maps
-Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
Once you have gathered the supplies for a basic emergency kit, you may want to consider adding the following items:
-Prescription medications and glasses
-Infant formula and diapers
-Pet food and extra water for your pet
-Cash or traveler's checks and change
-Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container.
-Emergency reference material such as a first aid book.
-Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
-Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
-Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper - When diluted, nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
-Fire extinguisher
-Matches in a waterproof container
-Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
-Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils
-Paper and pencil
-Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children
Printable Checklist
Please stay safe P!
Source - AP News
By ALLEN G. BREED
October 27, 2012
SHIP BOTTOM, N.J. (AP) - Forget distinctions like tropical storm or hurricane. Don’t get fixated on a particular track. Wherever it hits, the rare behemoth storm inexorably gathering in the eastern U.S. will afflict a third of the country with sheets of rain, high winds and heavy snow, say officials who warned millions in coastal areas to get out of the way.
‘‘We’re looking at impact of greater than 50 to 60 million people,’’ said Louis Uccellini, head of environmental prediction for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
As Hurricane Sandy barreled north from the Caribbean - where it left nearly five dozen dead - to meet two other powerful winter storms, experts said it didn’t matter how strong the storm was when it hit land: The rare hybrid storm that follows will cause havoc over 800 miles from the East Coast to the Great Lakes.
‘‘This is not a coastal threat alone,’’ said Craig Fugate, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. ‘‘This is a very large area.’’
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie declared a state of emergency Saturday as hundreds of coastal residents started moving inland and the state was set to close its casinos. New York’s governor was considering shutting down the subways to avoid flooding and half a dozen states warned residents to prepare for several days of lost power.
Sandy weakened briefly to a tropical storm early Saturday but was soon back up to Category 1 strength, packing 75 mph winds about 355 miles southeast of Charleston, S.C., as of 8 p.m. Experts said the storm was most likely to hit the southern New Jersey coastline by late Monday or early Tuesday.
Governors from North Carolina, where heavy rain was expected Sunday, to Connecticut declared states of emergency. Delaware ordered mandatory evacuations for coastal communities by 8 p.m. Sunday.
Christie, who was widely criticized for not interrupting a family vacation in Florida while a snowstorm pummeled the state in 2010, broke off campaigning for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in North Carolina on Friday to return home.
‘‘I can be as cynical as anyone,’’ the pugnacious chief executive said in a bit of understatement Saturday. ‘‘But when the storm comes, if it’s as bad as they’re predicting, you’re going to wish you weren’t as cynical as you otherwise might have been.’’
The storm forced the presidential campaign to juggle schedules. Romney scrapped plans to campaign Sunday in the swing state of Virginia and switched his schedule for the day to Ohio. First lady Michelle Obama canceled an appearance in New Hampshire for Tuesday, and President Barack Obama moved a planned Monday departure for Florida to Sunday night to beat the storm.
In Ship Bottom, just north of Atlantic City, Alice and Giovanni Stockton-Rossini spent Saturday packing clothing in the backyard of their home, a few hundred yards from the ocean on Long Beach Island. Their neighborhood was under a voluntary evacuation order, but they didn’t need to be forced.
‘‘It’s really frightening,’’ Alice Stockton-Rossi said. ‘‘But you know how many times they tell you, ‘This is it, it’s really coming and it’s really the big one’ and then it turns out not to be? I'm afraid people will tune it out because of all the false alarms before ... (but) this one might be the one.’’
A few blocks away, Russ Linke was taking no chances. He and his wife secured the patio furniture, packed the bicycles into the pickup truck, and headed off the island.
What makes the storm so dangerous and unusual is that it is coming at the tail end of hurricane season and the beginning of winter storm season, ‘‘so it’s kind of taking something from both,’’ said Jeff Masters, director of the private service Weather Underground.
Masters said the storm could be bigger than the worst East Coast storm on record - the 1938 New England hurricane known as the Long Island Express, which killed nearly 800 people. ‘‘Part hurricane, part nor'easter - all trouble,’’ he said. Experts said to expect high winds over 800 miles and up to 2 feet of snow as far inland as West Virginia.
And the storm was so big, and the convergence of the three storms so rare, that ‘‘we just can’t pinpoint who is going to get the worst of it,’’ said Rick Knabb, director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Officials are particularly worried about the possibility of subway flooding in New York City, said Uccellini.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to prepare to shut the city’s subways, buses and suburban trains by Sunday, but delayed making a final decision. The city shut the subways down before last year’s Hurricane Irene, and a Columbia University study predicted that an Irene surge just 1 foot higher would have paralyzed lower Manhattan.
Up and down the Eastern Seaboard and far inland, officials urged residents and businesses to prepare in big ways and little.
The Virginia National Guard was authorized to call up to 500 troops to active duty for debris removal and road-clearing, while homeowners stacked sandbags at their front doors in coastal towns. At a Home Depot in Virginia Beach, employee Dave Jusino said the store was swamped with customers.
‘‘We have organized chaos, is what I call it,’’ Jusino said. ‘‘We organize a group of 10 associates, give them certain responsibilities and we just separate the lines, organize four customers at a time, load up their cars and get them out the door and then take the next customers.’’
Utility officials warned rains could saturate the ground, causing trees to topple into power lines, and told residents to prepare for several days at home without power. ‘‘We’re facing a very real possibility of widespread, prolonged power outages,’’ said Ruth Miller, spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
Warren Ellis, who was on an annual fishing pilgrimage on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, didn’t act fast enough to get home. Ellis’ 73-year-old father managed to get off uninhabited Portsmouth Island near Cape Hatteras by ferry Friday. But the son and his camper got stranded when high winds and surf forced the ferry service to suspend operations Saturday.
‘‘We might not get off here until Tuesday or Wednesday, which doesn’t hurt my feelings that much,’’ said Ellis, 44, of Amissville, Va. ‘‘Because the fishing’s going to be really good after this storm.’’
Last year, Hurricane Irene poked a new inlet through the island, cutting the only road off Hatteras Island for about 4,000.
In Connecticut, the Naval Submarine Base in Groton prepared to install flood gates and pile up sandbags to protect against flooding while its five submarines remain in port through the storm.
Lobsterman Greg Griffen in Maine wasn’t taking any chances; he moved 100 of his traps to deep water, where they are less vulnerable to shifting and damage in a storm.
‘‘Some of my competitors have been pulling their traps and taking them right home,’’ said Griffen. The dire forecast ‘‘sort of encouraged them to pull the plug on the season.’’
In Muncy Valley in northern Pennsylvania, Rich Fry learned his lesson from last year, when Tropical Storm Lee inundated his Katie’s Country Store.
In between helping customers picking up necessities Saturday, Fry was moving materials above the flood line. Fry said he was still trying to recover from the losses of last year’s storm, when he estimates he lost $35,000 in merchandise.
‘‘It will take a lot of years to cover that,’’ he said.
Christie’s emergency declaration will force the shutdown of Atlantic City’s 12 casinos for only the fourth time in the 34-year history of legalized gambling here. The approach of Hurricane Irene shut down the casinos for three days last August.
Atlantic City officials said they would begin evacuating the gambling hub’s 30,000 residents at noon Sunday, busing them to mainland shelters and schools.
Tom Foley, Atlantic City’s emergency management director, recalled the March 1962 storm when the ocean and the bay met in the center of the city.
‘‘This is predicted to get that bad,’’ he said.
Eighty-five-year-old former sailor Ray Leonard said if he had loved ones living in the projected landfall area, he would tell them to leave. Leonard knows to heed the warnings.
He and two crewmates in his 32-foot sailboat, Satori, rode out 1991’s infamous ‘‘perfect storm,’’ made famous by the Sebastian Junger bestseller of the same name, before being plucked from the Atlantic off Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., by a Coast Guard helicopter.
‘‘Don’t be rash,’’ Leonard said in a telephone interview Saturday from his home in Fort Myers, Fla. ‘‘Because if this does hit, you’re going to lose all those little things you've spent the last 20 years feeling good about.’’
[Additional Articles]
AP News - 'Frankenstorm': Worse than sum of its parts
NYTimes - Urgent Warnings as Hurricane Sandy Heads to Northeast
Hurricane Sandy: Storm threat to key US election week
State of Emergency declared ahead of storm Sandy for the following states:
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- Virginia
- Washington, D.C.
- Rhode Island
Latest News - **LAST UPDATE 10/28 - 6:30PM EST
Obama's Speech (Sorry, can't embed)
Metro-North - service suspension starting at 7pm
CT - Mandatory and Voluntary evacuation list, UConn closing campuses but keeping dorms open
Rhode Island - State of emergency declared
Mass - State office buildings closed on 10/29 & Non-emergency state workers to stay home.
PA - SEPTA suspending service at 12:30am
Maryland - Voluntary and Mandatory Evacs in certain areas; Early voting cancelled for 10/29
NYC - Mandatory evacuation from Zone A; Trains being shut down starting at 7pm; Bus service suspended at 9pm; Staten Island Ferry service suspended at 8pm; Public Schools closed 10/29;
Eastern Virginia - officials considering evac order for low-lying areas
NJ - Full suspension of NJ transit starting this afternoon; PATH Train service suspended at midnight
DC - public schools closed; US OPM - federal buildings closed to public, non-emergency personnel to stay home
North Carolina - Flooding is a concern for residents along the coast and sound. Along the ocean, residents should be prepared for storm surge of 1 to 5 feet above ground level with heaviest amounts expected north of Cape Hatteras. On the sound side, residents should expect flooding of 3 to 5 feet above ground level with the highest amounts anticipated from Buxton through Ocracoke
Reuter's Liveblog - Sandy
NYTimes Hurricane Sandy Map
Amtrak Service Changes
NYC - MTA prepares for system-wide shutdown
(Travelers please note that bridges may be closed with windspeeds above 60mph)
NYC public hospitals canceling outpatient appointments and elective surgeries for Oct 29-30
NJ - Gambling Suspension; Garden State Toll Suspension; NJTransit - Transfers from Bus-Rail-Lightrail allowed
I didn't see anything aside from basic disaster plans on the websites from the other states that have declared emergencies. If anyone has additional info on shutdowns and whatnot, please comment and I'll add it in. :)
[Safety tips from Fema]
Hurricane Preparedness
Before a Hurricane
-To begin preparing, you should build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan.
-Know your surroundings.
-Learn the elevation level of your property and whether the land is flood-prone. This will help you know how your property will be affected when storm surge or tidal flooding are forecasted.
-Identify levees and dams in your area and determine whether they pose a hazard to you.
Learn community hurricane evacuation routes and how to find higher ground. Determine where you would go and how you would get there if you needed to evacuate.
Make plans to secure your property:
-Cover all of your home’s windows. Permanent storm shutters offer the best protection for windows. A second option is to board up windows with 5/8” marine plywood, cut to fit and ready to install. Tape does not prevent windows from breaking.
-Install straps or additional clips to securely fasten your roof to the frame structure. This will reduce roof damage.
-Be sure trees and shrubs around your home are well trimmed so they are more wind resistant.
-Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts.
-Reinforce your garage doors; if wind enters a garage it can cause dangerous and expensive structural damage.
-Plan to bring in all outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage cans and anything else that is not tied down.
-Determine how and where to secure your boat.
-Install a generator for emergencies.
-If in a high-rise building, be prepared to take shelter on or below the 10th floor.
-Consider building a safe room.
Everyone is at risk and should consider flood insurance protection.
During a Hurricane
-Listen to the radio or TV for information.
-Secure your home, close storm shutters and secure outdoor objects or bring them indoors.
-Turn off utilities if instructed to do so. Otherwise, turn the refrigerator thermostat to its coldest setting and keep its doors closed.
-Turn off propane tanks
-Avoid using the phone, except for serious emergencies.
-Moor your boat if time permits.
-Ensure a supply of water for sanitary purpose such as cleaning and flushing toilets. Fill the bathtub and other larger containers with water.
-Find out how to keep food safe during and after and emergency.
You should evacuate under the following conditions:
-If you are directed by local authorities to do so. Be sure to follow their instructions.
-If you live in a mobile home or temporary structure - such shelter are particularly hazardous during hurricane no matter how well fastened to the ground.
-If you live in a high-rise building - hurricane winds are stronger at higher elevations.
-If you live on the coast, on a floodplain, near a river, or on an island waterway.
Read more about evacuating yourself and your family. If you are unable to evacuate, go to your wind-safe room. If you do not have one, follow these guidelines:
-Stay indoors during the hurricane and away from windows and glass doors.
-Close all interior doors - secure and brace external doors.
-Keep curtains and blinds closed. Do not be fooled if there is a lull; it could be the eye of the storm - winds will pick up again.
-Take refuge in a small interior room, closet or hallway on the lowest level.
-Lie on the floor under a table or another sturdy object.
-Avoid elevators.
After a Hurricane
-Continue listening to a NOAA Weather Radio or the local news for the latest updates.
-Stay alert for extended rainfall and subsequent flooding even after the hurricane or tropical storm has ended.
-If you have become separated from your family, use your family communications plan or contact FEMA or the American Red Cross.
-FEMA has established the National Emergency Family Registry and Locator System (NEFRLS), which has been developed to help reunite families who are separated during a disaster. The NEFRLS system will enable displaced individuals the ability to enter personal information into a website database so that they can be located by others during a disaster.
The American Red Cross also maintains a database to help you find family. Contact the local American Red Cross chapter where you are staying for information. Do not contact the chapter in the disaster area.
-If you evacuated, return home only when officials say it is safe.
-If you cannot return home and have immediate housing needs. Text SHELTER + your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest shelter in your area (example: shelter 12345).
-For those who have longer-term housing needs, FEMA offers several types of assistance, including services and grants to help people repair their homes and find replacement housing.
Drive only if necessary and avoid flooded roads and washed¬ out bridges. Stay off the streets. If you must go out watch for fallen objects; downed electrical wires; and weakened walls, bridges, roads, and sidewalks.
-Keep away from loose or dangling power lines and report them immediately to the power company.
-Walk carefully around the outside your home and check for loose power lines, gas leaks and structural damage before entering.
-Stay out of any building if you smell gas, floodwaters remain around the building or your home was damaged by fire and the authorities have not declared it safe.
-Inspect your home for damage. Take pictures of damage, both of the building and its contents, for insurance purposes. If you have any doubts about safety, have your residence inspected by a qualified building inspector or structural engineer before entering.
-Use battery-powered flashlights in the dark. Do NOT use candles. Note: The flashlight should be turned on outside before entering - the battery may produce a spark that could ignite leaking gas, if present.
-Watch your pets closely and keep them under your direct control. Watch out for wild animals, especially poisonous snakes. Use a stick to poke through debris.
-Avoid drinking or preparing food with tap water until you are sure it’s not contaminated.
-Check refrigerated food for spoilage. If in doubt, throw it out.
-Wear protective clothing and be cautious when cleaning up to avoid injury.
-Use the telephone only for emergency calls.
-NEVER use a generator inside homes, garages, crawlspaces, sheds, or similar areas, even when using fans or opening doors and windows for ventilation. Deadly levels of carbon monoxide can quickly build up in these areas and can linger for hours, even after the generator has shut off.
[Basic Disaster Supply Kit]
Fema's Basic Disaster Supply Kit
-Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
-Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
-Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
-Flashlight and extra batteries
-First aid kit
-Whistle to signal for help
-Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
-Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
-Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
-Manual can opener for food
-Local maps
-Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
Once you have gathered the supplies for a basic emergency kit, you may want to consider adding the following items:
-Prescription medications and glasses
-Infant formula and diapers
-Pet food and extra water for your pet
-Cash or traveler's checks and change
-Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container.
-Emergency reference material such as a first aid book.
-Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
-Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
-Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper - When diluted, nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
-Fire extinguisher
-Matches in a waterproof container
-Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
-Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils
-Paper and pencil
-Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children
Printable Checklist
Please stay safe P!