Stoughton Braces for Irene’s Arrival
Town officials are taking steps to prepare for Irene’s arrival.
Stoughton dealt with periods of heavy rain during the day on Saturday, but the brunt of Irene’s potential wrath will be felt on Sunday.
Rain is in the forecast for Saturday evening, but then on Sunday, tropical storm like conditions are expected, according to the National Weather Service. There will be high winds (40-60 miles per hour, with gusts as high as 80 mph) and heavy rain (anywhere from 2 to 5 inches).
Stoughton public officials have been planning for Irene’s arrival, getting the town ready to deal with the storm.
Town Manager Francis T. Crimmins, Jr. said the hurricane was the first topic of discussion at Thursday’s Department Head meeting.
With high winds comes the danger of power lines coming down and power being knocked out, and trees falling, which could block roadways, Crimmins said.
He indicated it was a high priority for the town to make sure public safety vehicles could navigate the roadways during the storm, despite any potential obstacles.
Crimmins said the Stoughton Department of Public Works was “gassing up their trucks” and “sharpening the blades” on their equipment in advance of the storm’s arrival. He also said the town is making sure to clear debris from the catch basins and is making sure all of the pumping stations are working properly.
Building commissioner Thomas McGrath reminded residents to clear their yards of any items that could become wind-borne debris like construction equipment, lawn furniture, umbrellas, etc.
Acting Fire Chief Mark Dolloff said it was important for residents “to treat all down wires as live wires until cleared by the proper authorities.”
As for those planning to travel on Sunday, the MBTA said "after a careful review of the most recent information from the National Weather Service, the MBTA has decided to suspend all modes of service for the entirety of Sunday, August 28th." Delays or cancellations are expected at Boston’s Logan Airport.
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick declared a State of Emergency on Friday in anticipation of Irene’s arrival. Norfolk County is under a tropical storm warning and a flood watch. The area could see scattered power outages as a result of the storm.
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Roseanne
3:57 pm on Sunday, August 28, 2011
Good coverage of the storm, Patch!
Longtime Resident
4:13 pm on Thursday, September 1, 2011
I would hate to see what unprepared is like.