Newburyport and Hurricane Sandy

Dear Newburyporter,

I hope you have prepared for the storm.

Here are some updates which you may already know.  I suggest you check http://www.newburyportpolice.com/ for updates.  It's also important to sign up on the Police website for text/voice/email updates.

City Councillors received this email from the Mayor at about 5:30 tonight/Sunday night:

Dear City Councilors:

We just finished our second emergency team briefing regarding Hurricane Sandy. All schools are closed tomorrow.  Based on available MEMA briefings we are voluntarily evacuating Plum Island starting tonight.  A Red Cross shelter will be opened at 8 pm this evening at the Round School on Hanover St. in Newbury with medical and police presence.  Animals will be sheltered at our animal shelter on Perry Way which will be staffed 24/7 as needed.  Plum Island will be shut to non-emergency personnel as of tomorrow at 9am. The storm is expected to hit MA early in the am with major wind and tidal surges expected particularly during the next 4 high tides.  Power outages are anticipated and NG is mobilizing crews and pairing tree and line crews.  However, until the winds subside power outages may take time to repair.  Trash pick up will be delayed at least one day.  City employees are being asked to stay home and only emergency/essential staff will be present tomorrow.

As a City we are as prepared as possible and I am very pleased with the response from EM team: Marshall Howard, EM Don DeGloria, Chief Cutter, Paul Hogg, Bob Bracey, Tony Furnari and DPS crew, Roseann Robillard, AMR, USCG, and of course Lois and Peter. 

Finally, Halloween remains planned for the 31^st but may change depending on the weather.

Please call or email with questions and more importantly I hope you all ride this one out safely.  Please do not hesitate to call if you need assistance.

Donna D. Holaday

Mayor

As always, it's important to check on neighbors who might need help, particularly our elders who sometimes don't ask for help.  Since there have been so many falling leaves, clearing out storm drains in the street (don't push the leaves down into the drain ;-)) can help with runoff.

A few other important sources of information:

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency website is at http://www.mass.gov/eopss/agencies/mema/

The National Grid Outage Map is https://www1.nationalgridus.com/PowerOutageMap-MA-RES

Please let me know if you have any questions or need any help.

Good luck to us all,

Ed Cameron
Newburyport City Council
cell 978-518-0786
www.edcameron.blogspot.com