Preparations Underway in Wayland for Hurricane Irene

Wayland officials and emergency personnel have their eyes on Hurricane Irene and are working toward making sure Wayland is prepared for the storm when it arrives.

Chief Robert Irving said the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is conducting daily conference calls to update officials throughout the state. According to yesterday’s call, Irving said he anticipates wind to be the major concern for Wayland when Irene blows through town, which is expected to occur on Sunday.

“Mostly we’re at the stage that we’re looking at personnel that we may need for Sunday,” Irving said. “One of the issues with a wind storm is power.”

He said NSTAR has been in touch with Wayland to provide phone numbers and information related to possible power outages on Sunday, but Irving also said the fact this storm is occurring in the summer makes the power situation less dangerous.

In the winter, there is concern about people losing heat.

Wayland’s local shelter is , Irving said. It can be opened should there be a projection of long-term power outages.

“We have the shelter and we have all the materials to open the shelter at a moment’s notice if we need to,” he said. The Wayland Police Department has a fully stocked Emergency Response truck equipped with everything from blankets and medical supplies to crates for pets.

While some low-lying areas could see flooding, Irving said wind is his primary concern at this time.

“My understanding is that the biggest issue on the right side, the east side, is wind, and on the left side, the west side, is rain,” Irving said. Current forecasts place Wayland on the east side of the hurricane’s path.

“The immediate concern on Sunday is if we’re struck with very high winds,” Irving said. “Wayland is a very, very treed community.”

In preparation for the storm, Irving offered the following tips.

• Ensure cell phones are fully charged. A car charger could be your only means of charging your cell phone should there be long-term power outages.
• Make sure you have flashlights and batteries available. Avoid using candles if at all possible.
• Walk around your yard and secure anything that could blow around. The tent behind the Wayland Town Building was taken down yesterday.
• Check on family members who live alone or could need assistance and ensure they are prepared for the storm.
• Remember, if long-term power outages occur, refrigerated foods will spoil. Stock up on some basic non-perishable items (See the attached PDF from the Medical Reserve Corps to prepare your 72-hour survival kit).

“The other thing – this is very important – don’t consider this a sightseeing event,” Irving said. “We recommend people remain secure in their homes and not venture out to see what’s going on.”

Irving worked in Connecticut when Hurricane Gloria came through in 1985. When the eye of the hurricane passed over his town, he said it became calm and the sun came out for a moment. A bicyclist ventured out to look around and was killed when the eye suddenly passed and the other side of the storm struck.

“It’s a long-term event,” Irving said. “It could appear to pass, but it could be deceptive.”