It seemed like deja vu all over again on Sunday at Vermont Emergency Management headquarters. Thirteen months ago, Gov. Peter Shumlin and emergency officials held a press conference to warn the public of possible devastation from a hurricane known as Irene.
That storm caused devastating flooding in the southern half of the state that local communities are still recovering from.
The aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, which is due to make landfall in New Jersey on Monday afternoon, will be serious for Vermont, Shumlin says, but it will not be another Irene. He declared a state of emergency as a precautionary measure to ensure Vermont is eligible for federal emergency aid and to call out the Vermont National Guard if necessary.
Instead of massive flooding, the storm will bring high winds, especially to the Rutland area and the Northeast Kingdom where winds from the White Mountains will converge with downdrafts from the spine of the Green Mountains.
“I want to make clear to those who experienced Irene with us and are feeling tremendous anxiety right now — I’m hearing a lot from survivors of Irene — I want to make very clear that it is our judgment that this is not a storm like Irene,” Shumlin told reporters. “It’s a different kind of storm … and it will be a challenge for us, but it will not be a challenge in the respect that Irene did because Irene led to massive flooding, and we do not expect this storm, from what we’ve been told so far, to lead to massive flooding.”
Shumlin said describing Sandy as a hurricane level storm in Vermont is not accurate. There may be some localized flooding in Southern Vermont, but wind, not water, will be the biggest challenge. He said Sandy will hit Vermont as an extremely strong Northeaster that will bring two to four inches of rain and sustained high winds of 60 miles per hour to 80 miles per hour for a period of 10 to 12 hours. The slow nature of the storm could be the greatest challenge.
The governor said the state’s emergency personnel are prepared to help Vermonters impacted by the storm. The Agency of Transportation is on alert, swift water rescue teams have been deployed and Vermont Emergency Management is on the ground.
“We have all of our teams ready to rock, to deal with this storm as soon as the winds get high enough so that we’re sustaining damage,” Shumlin said. “I can tell you that if Irene taught us anything it’s to be prepared for the worst, and we are. Every single state agency is ready to roll.”
The state anticipates power outages. Green Mountain Power has asked 200 Hydro Quebec line units to help restore electricity after the storm. The crews are on their way to Vermont.
The governor urged Vermonters to check on elderly neighbors if there are power outages. He asked Vermonters to bring in lawn furniture and political yard signs.
School may be cancelled on Monday afternoon if winds pick up earlier than expected, Shumlin said.
The Vermont Emergency Operations Center says chainsaw crews from the Agency of Natural Resources are ready to help clear debris. State police mobile command posts are available for deployment. The National Guard is prepared to help with tree clearing and swiftwater rescues. The Red Cross will open shelters if there are extended power outages.
Vermont Emergency Management issued the following recommendations:
If you come across a downed power line, never touch it – all power lines should be treated as if they are live at all times. When clearing downed trees be sure they are not in contact with power lines as trees can conduct electricity and you can be electrocuted.
If you lose power and use a generator make sure it is always run outdoors and is not blowing exhaust back into your home. Make sure smoke & carbon monoxide alarms are working and have fresh back up batteries in them.
Other suggested preparedness actions in advance of power outages for the public:
Check flashlights and portable radios to ensure that they are working, and you have extra batteries. A battery powered radio is an important source of critical weather and emergency information during a storm.
If your water supply could be affected by a power outage (a well-water pump system), fill your bathtub and spare containers with water. Water in the bathtub should be used for sanitation purposes only, not as drinking water. Pouring a pail of water from the tub directly into the bowl can flush a toilet.
Set your refrigerator and freezer to their coldest settings (remember to reset them back to normal once power is restored). During an outage, do not open the refrigerator or freezer door unnecessarily. Food can stay cold in a full refrigerator for up to 24 hours, and in a well-packed freezer for 48 hours (24 hours if it is half-packed).
If you have medication that requires refrigeration, check with your pharmacist for guidance on proper storage during an extended outage.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and guidelines when using a generator. Always use outdoors, away from windows and doors. Carbon Monoxide (CO) fumes are odorless and can quickly accumulate indoors. Never try to power the house wiring by plugging the generator directly into household wiring, a practice known as “backfeeding.” This is extremely dangerous and presents an electrocution risk to utility workers and neighbors served by the same utility transformer. It also bypasses some of the built-in household circuit protection devices.
Make sure your Smoke and Carbon Dioxide detectors have fresh batteries and are in working order.
Be extra cautious when you go outside to inspect for damage after a storm. Downed or hanging electrical wires can be hidden by trees or debris, and could be live. Never attempt to touch or move downed lines, and keep children and pets away from them. Do not touch anything power lines are touching, such as tree branches or fences. Always assume a downed line is a live line. Call your utility company to report any outage-related problem.
For more preparedness tips visit: http://vem.vermont.gov/preparedness.
For road closures call 511 or visit: www.511vt.com.
Weather Forecast: www.weather.gov/btv
Vermont Emergency Management on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vermontemergencymanagement
