Stamford prepares for storms’ impact as it is expected to reach hurricane strength
STAMFORD — The city is bracing for potential flooding, strong winds and power outages as Tropical Storm Henri heads toward Connecticut.
The storm is expected to be at or near hurricane strength Sunday morning when it makes landfall, according to the National Weather Service.
“We're expecting coastal flooding because there is a full moon high tide coming up this weekend,” said Trevor Roach, the city’s fire chief and emergency management director. “And the wind is also going to be blowing out of the east, and in Stamford, if you have east winds with very high tides, the water piles up in this part of Long Island Sound and we end up with some local flooding down in the Cove, Shippan, Waterside.”
Roach said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will
begin staffing the city’s hurricane protection barrier around midnight Saturday, and he said he expects it will remain staffed through Monday afternoon. He said the Army Corps of Engineers will monitor water levels and decide whether to raise the gate.
Roach urged residents who have loose equipment in their yard to prepare for wind and those who live in low-lying areas to prepare for flooding.
He also warned that some residents could lose power, and “if Eastern Connecticut gets hit as hard as we think it's going to, power restoration all over the state is going to be very slow.”
Eversource on Friday said that Henri could knock out power for some in the state for up to 10 days.
“We may get some trees down with the storm path where it is now,” added Roach, who spoke with The Stamford Advocate around 2:30 p.m. Friday. “If the storm path moves further west, I think we could see a lot more damage.”
Roach said the city held a virtual meeting Friday morning with health department, Office of Operations,
police, fire and emergency communications officials, among others.
“The agencies themselves are making sure they're fueled up, that they don't have personnel issues for the weekend coming up,” Roach said. “On the fire department side, water rescue gear and road blockage equipment is all ready to go.”
Mayor David Martin said in a statement Friday that emergency management staff are in contact with the National Weather Service and the state.
“We will continue to monitor this storm and its potential impacts closely,” Martin said.
A release from Martin’s office included a number of tips for residents, including making sure that storm drains were clear of debris, in-home basement pumps were working and valuables kept in basements were moved upstairs.
If flooding occurs on roadways, residents should avoid driving through the water, according to the release.
The city government recommended that residents charge their cell phones and withdraw some cash in case there are power outages. It also suggested that residents put together an emergency kit that includes gallons of water,
nonperishable food, flashlights and other items.
The city’s building department issued a reminder to property owners, builders, contractors and crane operators to secure their buildings, construction
sites and equipment.
“Winds may reach higher speeds and last longer than forecast in certain areas of the city,” the advisory said.
Because of the weather forecast, the Cruising Stamford Classic Car Show that
had been scheduled for Sunday was rescheduled to Aug. 29, organizer Guy Fortt said. The show will still take place downtown, from Columbus Park to Veterans Memorial Park, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on
the new date.
Includes prior reporting by staff writer Peter Yankowski and Liz Hardaway.