Hurricane Sandy:
What to expect and how to prepare

General Information

  • In case of an emergency: 911
  • If there is damage to your home, if you see road damage, or if you need any resources: contact your town.
  • For shelter information, evacuation information, and other disaster resources: 2-1-1
  • Road Closures: 5-1-1 or www.511vt.com
  • If you see a downed power line: contact your local utility

  • The Red Cross has opened three shelters:

    • Rutland, VT -- As of 7:00 p.m. tonight, the Leahy Center at the Rutland Medical Center, 160 Allen Street, Rutland, VT will be open.  This is a Red Cross operated shelter.
    • Wilmington, VT -- As of 4pm this afternoon, Twin Valley High School, 1 School Street, Wilmington, VT, has opened as a shelter.  This is a Red Cross operated shelter.
    • Winhall, VT - At this time, a shelter has been opened at the Mountain School, 9 School Street, Bondville (Winhall), VT.  This is a community-operated shelter that has opened utilizing Red Cross cots and blankets and will be receive Red Cross support as needed.

Weather Updates

  • The National Weather Service reports that wherever the storm makes landfall, the main threat from the storm will likely be high winds beginning today. The National Weather Service says 60 mph to 80 mph wind gusts are expected along the Green Mountains and in the Northeast Kingdom.
  • Localized flooding is also possible where the rain is heaviest. Flooding is possible anywhere, but the NWS says the southern half of Vermont is the most susceptible. The forecast can be found at here: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/btv/

Safety

  • The public should call 2-1-1 for shelter information, evacuation information and other disaster resources.
  • If you lose power and use a generator, make sure it is always run outdoors and is not blowing exhaust back into your home.Make sure smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are working and have fresh back up batteries in them.
  • If you come across a downed power line, never touch it. All power lines should be treated as if they are live. When clearing downed trees be certain they are not in contact with power lines. Trees can conduct electricity and you can be electrocuted.
  • Check flashlights and portable radios to ensure that they are working. Make certain you have extra batteries. A battery powered radio is an important source of critical weather and emergency information during a storm.
  • If your water supply could be affected by a power outage (a well-water pump system), fill your bathtub and spare containers with water.Water in the bathtub should be used for sanitation purposes only, not as drinking water. Pouring a pail of water from the tub directly into the bowl can flush a toilet.
     

Keeping Food Safe

  • Set your refrigerator and freezer to their coldest settings (remember to reset them back to normal once power is restored).  During an outage, do not open the refrigerator or freezer door unnecessarily.  Food can stay cold in a full refrigerator for up to 24 hours and stay cold in a well-packed freezer for 48 hours (24 hours if it is half-packed).
  • If you have medication that requires refrigeration, check with your pharmacist for guidance on proper storage during an extended outage.
     

Additional Storm Information