Malverne Emergency Team Sets Up Command Center in Village Hall

Malverne's Office of Emergency Management Committee held its final preparation meeting for Hurricane Irene Saturday at Village Hall, which has become the local command center for the storm.

OEM Coordinator Bill Ward called together the chiefs of Malverne's Police, Fire and Public Works departments, its Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and other committee members to review the final details before Irene hits the area.

The Malverne Volunteer Fire Department will be on standby starting at 8 p.m. in their firehouse and officials will be working round-the-clock throughout the weekend as the Category 1 makes landfall.

"Everything is in place due to their dedicated teamwork," Village Trustee Michael Bailey said.

In an interview with Patch Friday, Ward said that his major concern for the village is heavy rainfalls, high winds, down trees and possible power outages. He has been working closely with Nassau County's Office of Emergency Management. for the full story.

“We do not anticipate to evacuate Malverne," he added.

The vilage has the ability to turn the library and Village Hall into shelters for a limited number of people, Bailey explained.

"At this point, we will be following the usual protocol when a resident is displaced by an emergency," he said.  

In the event of a fire or other situation that forces a village resident to evacuate their home, police and fire supervisors will work with them on a case-by-case basis to find the best resolution.

Bailey added, "As circumstances change, there are contingency plans that include county shelters as well."

Stay with Patch for more updates. Residents can tune into 1620 AM for instructions from Malverne's emergency officials.

You can also join Patch reporters and other Long Island residents who are live-blogging about Irene and its impact on the South Shore .