County prepares for Hanna's arrival

September 05, 2008 | 08:32 AM Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy and emergency preparedness officials have announced preparations for the remnants of Tropical Storm Hanna, which will impact the region Saturday. "Our emergency preparedness efforts begin five days in advance of an expected storm, and as we saw very recently in the Gulf Coast, that level of lead time makes a significant difference in preparing for and reacting to severe weather," said Levy. Levy said steps that have been or will be taken in the county's 120-hour timeline include: Notification by e-mail and phone to the county's 300 CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) volunteers that they may be called into action; Notification to approximately 100 county employees who are shelter volunteers that they may be called into action if shelters need to be opened; Telephone contact with special-needs persons on the JEEP (Joint Emergency Evacuation Program) residing in flood-prone areas; and, Coordination with towns and the American Red Cross to identify a shelter in each of the ten towns. The county's Emergency Operations Center in Yaphank will begin early stages of activation late Friday, with full staffing by 9 am Saturday in preparation for torrential rain and winds forecast throughout the day. The EOC coordinates the county's response system and consists of over 40 workstations for representatives from the county, towns, villages, utilities and emergency responders. Levy is urging residents who live in low-lying and flood prone areas to monitor the storm closely and listen for updates. Do not report to a shelter unless and until instructed. He also reminded residents to use 911 only for life-threatening emergencies, not for information. Residents with non-emergency situations can use the SCPD non-emergency number 852-COPS (852-2677) or the Suffolk County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services line at 852-4900.