Stamford Prepares For Hurricane Season

Stamford CT

02 June, 2022

11:27 AM

Description

STAMFORD, CT — With hurricane season underway, the city of Stamford is making preparations and urging residents to get ready, too. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. Last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted a 65 percent chance of an above-normal season, a 25 percent chance of a near-normal season and a 10 percent chance of a below-normal season. Also last week, Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons directed city public safety officials and representatives from various community agencies to review hurricane and coastal storm readiness protocols, and to participate in Connecticut's Emergency Planning & Preparedness Initiative (EPPI) exercise. "Preparing for hurricane season is essential to ensuring our residents have the resources and tools they need in the event of a storm, especially our most vulnerable population," Simmons said in a news release. "We have all seen and experienced firsthand how hurricanes can impact our coastline and city. Public Safety's Emergency Management group is well-prepared if a hurricane should occur in our area and has resources and preparedness information available to residents. Since it is early in the hurricane season, it is the best time for our public safety agencies and residents to prepare and review their plans to reduce the impact of these storms in our community." Stamford residents are encouraged to prepare for hurricane season by developing an emergency plan, creating an emergency supply kit and developing a family communications plan to help ensure loved ones can find one another before and after a severe storm. Hurricane preparedness information can be found here. "Stamford has experienced the damage that extreme weather can cause," added Stamford's Director of Public Safety Ted Jankowski in a news release. "With hurricane season upon us, I urge Stamford residents to be prepared and ready for storms. The Office of Public Safety, Health and Welfare will monitor and track weather conditions, tropical storms, and the paths of any hurricane for any impact on Stamford and provide updates on how to respond and maintain safety during such [an] event." Residents are urged to register for Stamford Alert (Stamford's Emergency Notification System) at CTAlert.gov. Any questions may also be directed to the Citizen Services Bureau at 203-977-4140. Stamford Fire Department Chief Trevor Roach said preparation is key. "Being prepared and understanding how to react to hazards and risks associated with a hurricane are vital to one's safety. When and if a hurricane or storm is pending, residents should listen to public safety warnings and follow the instructions necessary to protect life and property. This positive response will help in being safe and recovering from the storm," Roach said in a news release. As a reminder, to prepare for hurricane season, the following actions are suggested: Sign up for Emergency Alerts here.Stay in touch with the city of Stamford through the city's website; social media pages and the city's Emergency Hotline: (203)-977-8840 Have an emergency kit available - one gallon of water per person per day, non-perishable food, hand operated can opener, flashlight, battery powered radio, prescription drugs, eyeglasses, small hand tools, blankets, pillow, towels and toiletries Always have a full tank of gas in your car Have some cash on hand in case of power outages that might disable ATMs Keep your cellphones charged Keep important family documents safe A full list of precautions and suggested preparation steps can be found at www.bepreparedStamford.org and www.ready.gov/hurricanes. Should a Hurricane threaten our area, additional information regarding precautions, evacuations and emergency shelter openings will be available on the city website, hotline, and through local media outlets, as necessary.