3 Photos
UPDATE:
8:50 p.m., Saturday, August 27
Authorities say there’s still room—and a small window of time before weather conditions worsen—to head to area shelters.
Currently, the American Red Cross has shelters set up at Hampton Bays High School, East Hampton High School, Riverhead High School, and Eastport South Manor Middle and High School.
And while a pet shelter at the eastern campus of Suffolk County Community College in Northampton is full, shelters for residents are not, said Craig Cooper, public affairs supervisor for the American Red Cross on Long Island on Saturday night. “I am not aware of any shelters in Suffolk County that have reached capacity,” Mr. Cooper said.
To check if a shelter is at capacity, go to www.redcross.org.
As weather conditions deteriorate, shelters are seeing traffic, Mr. Cooper said. “Right now is when the holdouts are getting in their cars and saying, ‘I’m going to a shelter,’” he said. “Across the board, new people are showing up.”
Most important, Mr. Cooper said, “there’s still time to go to a shelter.” Residents should take heed and head out before Hurricane Irene begins to batter the East End overnight.
Locally, Hampton Bays Union Free School Superintendent Lars Clemensen said that as of approximately 8 p.m., 140 residents have sought shelter at the high school, many from the Shinnecock Indian Reservation. Those at the shelter, Mr. Clemensen said, are “nervous, but they’re happy to be in a safe place.”
Hampton Bays fire department and ambulance volunteers helped to set up cots and blankets, he added. “We’re ready for bed tonight,” Mr. Clemensen said. The American Red Cross, he added, provided displaced residents with a hot meal—and a movie was shown in the auditorium. Mr. Clemensen, who planned to stay at the school, said the plan throughout the night was “to keep people comfortable and calm.” Custodians and security staff are on hand, too.
In East Hampton, interim School Superintendent Richard Burns said when he was last at the high school this afternoon, residents were stopping by to ensure there would be shelter tonight, with “everybody pitching in,” including town employees, to help the Red Cross set up.
Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst said after issuing an order Saturday morning for mandatory evacuation, the day was “orderly and quiet,” with fire department responders going door to door to tell residents to leave for their own safety.
In Flanders, members of the fire department who made the rounds reported about half of those contacted said they planned to leave.
While there was no way to determine how many residents left for homes of family or friends, Ms. Throne-Holst said in addition to those who found shelter at the high school, approximately 35 senior citizens are gathered at the Human Resources Center in Hampton Bays.
She added that while the pet shelter in Northampton is full, the Southampton Town Animal Shelter had “a lighter load than anticipated.”
Ms. Throne-Holst said Southampton roads are quiet, and flooding has commenced; Pike’s Beach in Westhampton, she said, “is completely underwater. And the winds are starting to pick up.”
Mr. Cooper offered other tips, including the advice that residents should stay away from windows, batten down the last bit of lawn furniture, and make sure battery-operated flashlights and radios are close at hand.
The hurricane, he said, “is a test for all of us,” adding that he is proud of Red Cross workers for their efforts.
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UPDATE:
6:13 p.m., Saturday, August 27
East Hampton Town is offering special help to senior citizens and pets through the storm, in addition to the two shelters the town has set up at East Hampton High School and the Montauk Playhouse Community Center.
The Town Human Services Department is offering emergency shelter to residents who require the use of electronic medical devices and are worried about the power going out. Human Services Director Diane Patrizio said the department’s facility at 128 Springs-Fireplace Road is equipped with 10 cots and a power generator.
Those interested should call 324-6711. Ms. Patrizio added, however, that in many cases it may be more appropriate for a disabled resident to go to Southampton Hospital.
The department is also offering to make check-up calls to senior citizens who are staying at home. Residents who are interested should call the number above.
The town’s Code Enforcement Department is also transporting pets to an emergency animal shelter that has been set up at the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons in Wainscott, in the hours leading up to the storm.
Code Enforcement Director Betsy Bambrick said those interested should call 324-0085. If no one picks up, she said, callers should leave a message and someone will call back.
Ms. Bambrick said officers will not be transporting animals once the storm is underway.
***
UPDATE:
4:32 p.m., Saturday, August 27
The East Quogue Fire Department confirms that its crews are now evacuating all residents located on any body of water—including creeks and bays.
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UPDATE:
10:35 a.m. Saturday, August 27
West Hampton Dunes Village Mayor Gary Vegliante said a mandatory evacuation order has been issued. But despite village constables going door to door, Mayor Vegliante said, “There are some people who intend to stay.”
Under a mandatory evacuation order, Mayor Vegliante said that technically, residents who choose to stay “could be arrested, if you wanted to do that. But I’m not of the political disposition. I don’t believe in a police state.”
Residents who opt to ride it out are adults, the mayor said. “But if they want to make that choice, they have to understand we may not be able to rescue them if they need help.”
Mr. Vegliante said while first responders take risks every day, and they will respond, if possible, “I will not permit them to put their own lives in obvious jeopardy or risk because someone chose not to go.”
The mayor will be leaving the barrier island sometime today and be headquartered in the West Hampton Dunes mainland office, located on Oneck Lane in the Village of Westhampton Beach. “Let’s hope everyone stays safe and dry,” he said.
***
UPDATE:
10:31 a.m. Saturday, August 27
Evacuation shelters opened in East Hampton Town at 10 a.m. Saturday. They are at East Hampton High School on Long Lane, 1 mile north of the train station where Newtown Lane curves into Long Lane, and in Montauk at the Montauk Playhouse Community Center on Flamingo Road next to the Montauk Firehouse.
Pets are welcome at the Montauk Playhouse, however, their owners should call East Hampton Town Animal Control first at 324-0085. Pets will not be welcome at East Hampton High School, but the town will have them transported to the Animal Rescue Center of the Hamptons in Wainscott.
***
UPDATE:
10:07 a.m. Saturday, August 27
Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst has declared a state of emergency for the town as Hurricane Irene barrels toward the East End.
Quogue Mayor Peter Sartorious and Southampton Village Mayor Mark Epley signed similar declarations this morning.
According to Southampton Town Police Lieutenant Robert Iberger, of the town’s emergency management office, a mandatory evacuation order is an executive order. “If you’re told to leave, you should leave. We’re not going to drag you out, based on our limited resources. However, if you stay, you are putting your life at risk.”
The mandatory evacuation order limits the town’s liability in the event an individual stays.
Ms. Throne-Holst said while the town cannot force individuals to leave, if residents stay, emergency rescue personnel may not be able to reach them in the event of an emergency.
“I hope everyone takes this order seriously and to heart,” she said. “It’s there for everyone’s safety and well-being. Even though it doesn’t look bad now, if you look at the coverage of where it’s hit, that’s what we can expect it to look like here tomorrow. This is the time to get out if you are in a low lying area.”
Fire responders will be going door to door, asking residents to evacuate; schedules for various areas will differ depending on the size of the community.
“Dune road is being shut down,” Mayor Sartorius said, nothing there are around 120 homes on Dune Road in Quogue. “The fire department is off right now notifying residents that they should evacuate by this afternoon.” He said village officials were to begin notifying people south of Quogue Street to evacuate this afternoon because they’re in a flood zone.
“The people on Dune Road are at risk of losing life and limb,” Mayor Sartorius said. “If the ocean comes over the dune, they can’t get out.”
Those living in coastal, low-lying areas and in mobile homes are mandated to evacuate—and do it now. “Don’t wait till the roads are clogged or the weather gets too inclement, when the storm is in full effect,” Lt. Iberger said.
Evacuations will begin at 10 a.m, and continue throughout the day, with evacuations expected to be complete by 3 p.m.
Residents who experienced ground water flooding back in March or in 2010 should evacuate until the storm passes.
Hurricane flood maps, the town’s hurricane survival guide, and all pertinent information is available on the town’s website.
Three emergency shelters have been set up by the American Red Cross at Hampton Bays High School, Riverhead High School, and East Hampton High School, with a pet friendly shelter available on the eastern campus of Suffolk Community College.
The town’s human services center is available for seniors and those with special needs.
***
UPDATE:
9:34 a.m. Saturday, August 27
The Village of Southampton declared a State of Emergency effective 9 a.m. on Saturday. An emergency order has also been issued by Mayor Mark Epley effective 9 a.m., calling for mandatory evacuation of all low-lying areas subject to flooding and impacts of storm surge.
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UPDATE:
9:34 a.m. Saturday, August 27
East Hampton Village Mayor Paul F. Rickenbach Jr. declared a state of emergency on Saturday morning. Village officials are advising residents living in low-lying areas to voluntarily evacuate, as Hurricane Irene may cause significant flooding. High winds and rain combined with high tides may cause some streets to become impassable, village officials warn, adding, also, that there may be power interruptions due to high winds as well as fallen trees.
All village beaches are closed, and residents are being advised to stay off the roads during the storm. Village officials warned this morning that there are dangerous surf conditions and that extreme currents and erosion will make beaches unsafe.
***
UPDATE:
8:01 a.m. Saturday, August 27
As storm clouds blanketed the East End, a grim reminder that Hurricane Irene continues to barrel toward Long Island, Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst continued to urge residents to seek safe haven and voluntarily evacuate the area.
A meeting was expected to be held at 8 a.m. with Southampton Town emergency management personnel and others to determine whether a mandatory evacuation would be ordered.
But the supervisor, who has been imploring residents to leave the area since Thursday, said residents should find a friend or relative on higher ground as soon as possible.
“We continue to urge residents to find someplace to stay that’s safer,” she said.
Should a mandatory evacuation order be issued, the supervisor said if residents decide not to leave and to ride out the storm at home, there is no official penalty for refusing to go—but warned consequences could be dire.
“Nothing happens,” the supervisor said. “If they don’t go, we don’t have the ability to go after people. But it means that they are then responsible for their own safety.”
In East Hampton Town, Supervisor Bill Wilkinson issued a townwide voluntary evacuation order Friday night.
Ms. Throne-Holst asked residents to “stay tuned” by listening to local radio and media and checking the town’s website and to heed all warnings.
Residents should stay off the beach, she said. “Resist any temptation,” she said. “We know that it can be dramatic and beautiful.” But, she added, after the storm passes through, while there is usually a lull, during which time people tend to flock to the beach for a glimpse of Mother Nature’s fury, that period of calm can be deceptive.
“Experience has shown that’s when people can become trapped,” the supervisor said . Ms. Throne-Holst asked that residents stay off the beaches so emergency personnel, swamped with critical concerns, will not need to be dispatched to the beaches to rescue thrill seekers.
The supervisor reminded that despite reports that the hurricane will make landfall on western Long Island, the eye of the storm “is not the worst part.” Those located on the northeast quadrant of the storm experience the highest winds, she said.
Despite warnings to leave the area, Ms. Throne-Holst said yesterday’s sunny skies enticed many to stay. “People don’t go,” she said. “They don’t go when its 80 degrees and sunny out. Yesterday was a beautiful day. But we’re taking this very seriously. Leave if you can.”
Mayors of both Westhampton Beach and West Hampton Dunes are expected to order mandatory evacuations beginning at 10 a.m.
***
UPDATE:
9:32 p.m. Friday, August 26
East Hampton Town Supervisor William Wilkinson has ordered a voluntary town-wide evacuation.
Which according to the town’s website means “means, if you want to leave do so as soon as possible so as to minimize traffic and safety problems.”
***
UPDATE:
4:22 p.m. Friday, August 26
As East End residents prepare for the possibility of mandatory evacuation orders, the Red Cross has identified a list of shelters in the area that are slated to open on Saturday morning.
According to Craig Cooper, the public affairs supervisor for the American Red Cross on Long Island, the sites are not yet identified as evacuation centers because evacuation hasn’t yet been officially ordered by elected officials. “We are calling them voluntary, at this point,” he said. “If you decide you want to go, you can go.”
But, he added, the situation is being monitored very carefully and individuals are urged to err on the side of caution. “I don’t think I’d want to be sitting in my house on Ditch Plains in Montauk on Sunday,” he said.
The Red Cross, Mr. Cooper said, coordinates with local town officials to determine where shelters are needed. Shelters slated to open in the immediate area, if the order is given, include East Hampton High School, Hampton Bays High School, Riverhead High School and Southold Junior High School, he said. Other shelters include Deer Park High School and Sachem East High School in Farmingville.
East Hampton Town Supervisor Bill Wilkinson said he is “hoping” the Montauk Playhouse will be open as a shelter, as well, but volunteers are needed to staff the facility. The hope, he added, is that the Ladies Auxiliary of the East Hampton Fire Department will volunteer to lend their services so the shelter can open.
Mr. Cooper said the aim is to open the Red Cross shelters at 9 a.m. tomorrow. All shelters will provide food, cots, blankets and health services such as blood pressure monitoring and mental health assessments for agitated individuals.
“It ain’t the Marriott,” Mr. Cooper said. “People need to be realistic. Shelters are the place of last resort. If you have a friend or relative, that’s going to be much better than staying in our shelter.”
Those who do opt for emergency Red Cross shelters should remember to bring medication, personal information or documents that might be necessary, should the hurricane prevent individuals from returning home. For a full list of what to bring to a shelter, and of open shelters, go to redcross.org.
Pets, Mr. Cooper said, are not allowed in Red Cross shelters. Individuals with pets should seek information regarding pet-friendly shelters or seek private boarding. In East Hampton, the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons is operating as a pet shelter, but only if a state of emergency is declared, on a first come, first served basis.
At area schools, officials are working to prepare facilities for the Red Cross. Lars Clemensen, superintendent of the Hampton Bays Union Free School District, said they were preparing for word from the Red Cross to officially open. “We are battening down the hatches,” he said.
While the Red Cross if a fully functional and independent organization that just utilizes space at the school district, Mr. Clemensen said he, as well as a district liaison, would be on hand to help familiarize Red Cross officials with the facility.
The Red Cross, he said, would be able to utilize the high school gym, cafeteria and auditorium. “We have capacity,” he said.
In addition, the superintendent said work has been done to ensure “anything that can move is now immovable” outdoors, and storm drains, roofs and gutters are clean and clear. Computers, smart boards and technology systems have been shut down to protect equipment.
And, Mr. Clemensen said, a district plan is in place should the school be unable to open on Monday.
In East Hampton, interim superintendent Richard Burns said while the high school has been designated by the American Red Cross as an evacuation center, the opening time has not yet been determined. Residents are encouraged to listen to messages from town officials regarding opening time.
All district buildings have been inspected and secured, Mr. Burns said, adding he would be on hand to walk the Red Cross through the building. “We’re doing the best we can,” he said.
Human services facilities in both Southampton and East Hampton Towns are open for seniors and residents with special needs.
***
UPDATE: 12:53 p.m., Friday, August 26
Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy and town supervisors Mark Lesko of Brookhaven and Phil Nolan of Islip ordered mandatory evacuations of barrier beach communities on western Fire Island, beginning 3 p.m. today.
The officials also said that mainland evacuations of low-lying, flood prone areas on the South Shore—as well as some on the north shore—are likely to commence Saturday morning.
Under the mandatory evacuation, ferry service to the barrier beach communities will allow only homeowners over to Fire Island in order for them to secure their homes and properties. Ferry service is likely to end at 3 to 4 p.m. on Saturday—or sooner if conditions dictate—and residents are urged to plan accordingly.
***
As Hurricane Irene’s wrath heads closer to the East End, elected officials could be poised to order a massive evacuation.
A day after calling for the voluntary evacuation of those living in the municipality’s low-lying areas, Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst said on Friday morning that a final decision would be made at 8 a.m. on Saturday regarding whether those living in flood zones would be forced to evacuate their homes, and that those mandatory evacuations could begin at 10 a.m.
“We will probably start ordering evacuations at 10 a.m. tomorrow in all the flood zones,” Ms. Throne-Holst said on Friday morning, with Hurricane Irene still tracking toward the East End. The supervisor urged all town residents to check the town’s website to determine if their home falls within a flood zone.
At noon on Friday, Westhampton Beach Village Police Chief Ray Dean said all residents living south of Main Street and South Road in the village are being asked to voluntarily evacuate; he added that those evacuations will become mandatory as of 10 a.m. on Saturday, as per the order of Mayor Conrad Teller.
“We would strongly recommend that those residents find a friend or go to higher ground,” Mr. Teller said.
Additionally, Dune Road in Westhampton Beach will be closed effective 10 a.m. on Saturday, Chief Dean said. He added that the closest shelter for those seeking refuge will be the Hampton Bays Middle School on Ponquogue Avenue.
Meanwhile, officials representing the villages of Southampton, Quogue and West Hampton Dunes also began on Friday morning urging those residents living near the ocean and other bodies of water to start voluntarily evacuating their homes. As with Southampton Town, those evacuations could become mandatory on Saturday morning, depending on the path of Hurricane Irene.
At a special East Hampton Town Board meeting on Friday morning, Town Supervisor Bill Wilkinson said the town was likely to recommend voluntary evacuation of those living in homes in low-lying areas, such as Louse Point in Springs, Ditch Plains in Montauk and beaches on Napeague.
“We’re basically concerned that if people want to leave, they get on the road soon enough,” Mr. Wilkinson said, adding that traffic could be particularly bad if Fire Island is evacuated. “If you are thinking of leaving under these conditions, leave earlier rather than later.”
Currently, the storm is a Category 2 hurricane, packing winds of up to 110 mph. As of 7 a.m., the hurricane was situated about 860 miles south-southwest of Montauk Point, moving north at 14 mph, according to David Stark, meteorologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration office in Upton.
Despite the fact that the storm may have weakened slightly overnight, Mr. Stark said, “You can’t let your guard down, just because the winds came down a little bit, and because there have been little structural changes in the storm. We are still expecting it to pick back up in intensity.”
Southampton Village officials called a voluntary evacuation of low-lying Meadow Lane effective at 1 p.m. on Friday, with a possible mandatory evacuation effective 9 a.m. on Saturday. Village Police said a decision on the mandatory evacuation will be made by tomorrow morning. All village beaches will be closed as of 2 p.m. Friday.
The village’s emergency operations center will be based at police headquarters on Windmill Lane, but the fire, ambulance and other departments will coordinate their operations from the most practical location based on what happens during the storm, village officials said.
Also on Friday, Quogue Village officials began urging those who live on Dune Road and Quogue Street to begin voluntary evacuations. Chris Osborne, the village’s chief ordinance inspector and chief of the Quogue Fire Department, said officials will decide at 8 a.m. on Saturday whether or not to make the evacuations mandatory.
“We recommend if you have a place to go with a friend or family member that Friday is the best day to go,” Mr. Osborne said. “It is voluntary at this time, but we will mobilize the fire department tomorrow to knock on doors. The best thing for everyone to do is to evacuate themselves while they have good weather.”
“If you can see water out your window, you need to move due to the storm surge,” he added.
Ms. Throne-Holst warned on Thursday that Lieutenant Robert Iberger, the town’s emergency preparedness officer, said the storm has the potential to rival “the Hurricane of 1938.” With up to 12 inches of rain expected, Ms. Throne-Holst added that the town’s most critical concern involves flooding.
West Hampton Dunes Mayor Gary Vegliante said on Thursday afternoon that he plans to coordinate with the Village of Westhampton Beach on evacuation plans, if necessary. “We’re looking to err on the side of safety rather than convenience,” he said. “I think we’ll be asking residents to leave by [Friday] evening—but that’s not set in stone.”
Conditions may change as the hurricane draws closer, he said.
Ms. Throne-Holst said the town is “imploring people who live in risky, low-lying areas to take this very seriously and make alternative plans for the next couple of days. Go visit relatives or friends in high lying areas.”
While the town does have emergency evacuation shelters for seniors and special needs residents at the town’s senior centers, only approximately 1,000 cots are available, the supervisor said.
Lt. Iberger added the American Red Cross will inform the town when and where shelters for residents will be—they are usually set up at area high schools—should they be deemed necessary. But the town will not know how many, if any, shelters will be open to the public until they receive word from the Red Cross, he added.
Lt. Iberger said residents are encouraged to stay with family and friends and try not to utilize public shelters, as they lack amenities and pets are not allowed.
“Obviously, it could make landfall south of us and dissipate but no matter what, Sunday is going to be a very messy day,” Ms. Throne-Holst said. And with experts now estimating the hurricane to make landfall somewhere near the Nassau/Suffolk county border, the bottom line, she said, is that it is expected to be a very wide, 500-mile wide storm, so individuals located 250 miles in either direction will be impacted.
In other hurricane news, Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy and town supervisors Mark Lesko of Brookhaven and Phil Nolan of Islip are asking for voluntary evacuation of residential barrier beach communities on western Fire Island.
And on Thursday afternoon, Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency in New York in preparation for potential impact of Hurricane Irene.
“In this emergency I am activating all levels of state government to prepare for any situation that may be caused by Hurricane Irene,” Governor Cuomo said. “We are communicating with our federal and local partners to track the storm and to plan a coordinated response, and we will deploy resources as needed to the areas expected to be hit the hardest. I urge New Yorkers to personally prepare for hurricane conditions and to cooperate with emergency officials if needed. By working together, we will all be able to face this storm in a calm and organized manner.”
