Greenwich First Responders Ready For Hurricane Henri

GREENWICH, CT — In preparation of Hurricane Henri, Greenwich first responders, extra staff and equipment have been staged to respond to any situation that may arise from the severe weather, according to an update from First Selectman Fred Camillo early Saturday evening.

Henri has been upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane, and it's expected to make landfall near New Haven Sunday afternoon or evening. The National Hurricane Center predicts there could be sustained winds of 70 mph with gusts up to 85 mph. Leading up to the evening landfall, wind and rain are expected to intensify as the day progresses. As much as three to six inches of rain is expected. As a result, ferry service to both Island Beach and Great Captain Island is suspended until further notice, Camillo said.

With the rain and high tide cycles, moderate flooding may occur along the coastline and along rivers Sunday with a storm surge of 3 to 3 ½ feet. The storm is expected to move out of the area overnight Sunday into Monday.

Camillo is urging residents to stay home and not venture out into the storm.

Should residents need to evacuate their homes, the John Margenot Atrium, located at the Public Safety Complex at 11 Bruce Place, has been designated a cooling and charging station. Masks and proper social distancing are required. The atrium is open 24 hours.

Businesses who offer outdoor dining should ensure that all tables, chairs, tents and umbrellas are brought indoors.

"On behalf of all of our first responders, I thank you in advance for your cooperation during this weather event," Camillo said in the update.

The Town of Greenwich will post updates as needed via the town’s website, the reverse 911 system and the Town’s social media accounts.

Gov. Ned Lamont gave an update on Henri Saturday afternoon.

Storm Preparedness

Flood Preparedness – get ready if flash flooding or heavy rainfall is predicted

Be prepared in case of power failure – have flashlights ready, vehicles fueled.

• Move belongings and equipment out of harm’s way – this may mean elevating or moving belongings stored in basements or garages, moving a car to higher ground, etc. Protect window wells or other areas of your home if needed, based on your conditions and the storm predictions.
• Do not walk or drive through flooded areas – whether in your home, yard or road.
• Do not discharge storm water to the sanitary sewer system – it is illegal and can cause sewer overflows.
• Remember, drainage systems are not designed for flash floods or high intensity/large or long duration storms – so preparing your home for such weather is important. Storm water typically recedes quickly after flash flooding events.

Power Outages

• Stay away from downed wires. All wires should be viewed as live – with the potential to electrocute. Downed wires should be reported to 911.If a traffic signal is out – treat signals as stop signs and proceed with caution. Service will be restored as quickly as possible.
• Use of portable generators: Place generators outside, at least 20 feet from any structure. Close windows that are on that side of the home where the generator is located. If the concentration of carbon monoxide is above 35 ppm, it can be toxic. Carbon monoxide symptoms include headache, nausea, dizziness and fatigue. If you experience any of these symptoms, call 911. Keep watch on any burning candles or other open flame sources used for lighting.

Road blockages

• You can report blocked roads to the Greenwich Public Safety General Dispatch number at 203-622-8004.

Utility outages

• Report all outages to Eversource online at here, or by calling 800-286-2000.
• Optimum: message here; tweet to @Optimumhelp or call 866-950-3278.
• Frontier: customer service: 1-800-239-4430 for residential customers or 1- 800-921-8102 for business customers.

Storm cleanup

• Please remember – the Town will clean up downed Town trees in the right of way. Please do not put your own property’s trees/branches or other debris out in the street – it will not be picked up.