Suffolk Exec 'Concerned' For Flooding, Erosion, And Power Outages As Next High Tide Cycle Approaches

UPDATE 4:30 PM: The county's Urban Search and Rescue Team was activated in response to the September nor’easter affecting the area.

Volunteer fire and EMS partner agencies, as well as Suffolk police's Emergency Service Section and Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services have been staged at the Fire Academy since Friday.

Assets include Surface Water Rescue-trained personnel staffing three vehicles, towing water rescue equipment, and inflatable rescue boats. The team is conducting 12-hour operational periods, and will remain at-the-ready to assist throughout the duration of the storm.

YAPHANK, NY — Suffolk Executive Ed Romaine, during a briefing at the county's Office of Emergency Management on Saturday, said that there is still some concern about the nor’easter causing flooding, erosion, and toppled trees, leading to power outages that will likely double by tomorrow in the region.

Officials expect high winds, rain, and potential coastal flooding are expected to continue until Sunday.

Romaine said he was concerned about flooding from the morning's high tide at 8 a.m. on the South Shore. Areas of concern included Riverhead, near the Peconic River, which in the past has flooded all the way into the parking lots.

County officials are concerned about southwestern Suffolk's low-lying areas like Lindenhurst, Copiague, Babylon Village, Amityville, and Amityville Harbor, where there will be flooding after the next cycle of high tide.

What makes it so "devastating" is that it comes on a full moon, he explained.

"You could walk out now and say it doesn't seem like much of a storm," said Romaine at the county’s Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services building during the briefing broadcast by News 12. "Well, that's because the rain that we're getting is coming in bands, which means that there will be periods where you'll have drizzle and periods where you'll have heavy rain, and it all depends on where those bands are. And the danger of the rain is that it's not a storm that's leaving."

"It started yesterday about six, 7 o'clock, and has continued all night," he said. "It's going to continue all day. It's going to continue into Sunday, and possibly into Monday."

The accumulation of rain will loosen soil, and combined with the wind, with some hitting 40 miles an hour, trees can topple and affect power lines.

He noted there's about 17,000 in Suffolk without power, and officials expect that number to double in the next 24 hours.

"I know PSE&G is working around the clock," he said, adding that anyone with an outage, can call 631-490-0075.

He advised residents to call non-emergency numbers for their towns to report downed trees, not 911.

Officials are also concerned about the North Shore's low-lying areas like Northport, Huntington, and Port Jefferson.

The impact of the storm can already be seen along the county's beach areas like Dune Road in Southampton, and Smith Point County Park in Shirley.

"It was low tide when I got there, a little after 12 noon after our press conference, and what I saw is that the water was lapping at the steps," he said. "I can only imagine what it is doing today."

There is erosion along Fire Island, and it is expected on the North Shore due to the very choppy water that is showing three-to-four foot waves.

Drones will be deployed to assess the damage to make it easier for the county to apply for aid.

There is also concern about downed trees bringing down wires, and officials “urge everyone that doesn't have to travel today to stay home,” he said.

EMS and fire calls have been double what it is on an average day, according to Romaine.

“We are handling that,” he said. “And you can look right outside this door, and you have some very dedicated county employees that are working the phones, that are handling this, and we're following this storm very carefully.”

Undersheriff John Becker said his department’s deputy sheriffs are on hand at their emergency operations center in conjunction with various other county and state agencies.

“This combined effort allows for a coordinated response both during and after the storm. Deputy sheriffs will be on patrol throughout Suffolk County, helping clearing blocked roads, assisting flooded areas, and stranded motorists,” he said. “Our camera towers have been deployed to keep eyes on the storm from above, and our emergency management trucks are equipped with generators, chainsaws, tow straps, extra gasoline chains to help pull trees and cars off the road, and we have air compressors for flat tires.”

“Our vehicles are ready to go into high water or off-road areas that may require rescue,” he said. “We have light towers for emergency scenes that require additional lighting this evening. We also have battery-powered inverters for indoor use where generators cannot be used.”

The department also has two equipped gators with medical equipment for off-road scenarios that may have limited access points and full air support unit.

“This is our drone technology that will be ready to help assess the damage after the storm subsides,” he said. “On behalf of Sheriff [Errol] Tulon, we once again ask everyone to stay home unless absolutely necessary. Thank you and stay safe.”

Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said he was “happy” to report that there’s not a lot for him to report from an emergency perspective.

“I think we can attribute a lot of that to the fact that people are staying off the road,” he said.

It’s been “relatively normal” as far as accidents and 911 have gone, he said.

He encouraged residents to continue to stay off the roads.

“It will, or it could potentially become important to clear roads, and if people stay off the roads, that'll help us to do our job,” he said.

FRES Commissioner Rudy Sunderman said that the county’s Emergency Operations Center remains activated with all parts of government, state, and county officials, as well as partners from law enforcement, PSEG, Long Island Railroad, and multiple other agencies.

It will remain open through Sunday at 4 p.m., and officials will continue to reevaluate, he said.

“We do want to stress to all of our residents that we thank them for their support,” he said. “But as you know, the storm is not over yet. We will still see significant impacts through today, tonight, and then into Sunday morning.”

He noted there is a wind advisory in effect with some gusts up to 60 miles per hour in eastern Suffolk and rain continuing in bands with up to a possible three to four inches additional rain. A coastal flood warning remains in effect over the next two high tide cycles also, he said.

“So we want to make sure everybody is aware there are two more high tide cycles, and there is flooding,” he said, adding that the county will continue to monitor the flooding in low-lying areas and other local communities that are known for prone flooding.

“Even if conditions appear to be calm, you have to be aware of the hazardous conditions that may be occurring elsewhere in Suffolk County,” he said. “Again, we just continue to ask residents to stay home, stay safe, and stay off the roads.”

He said that in just 24 hours, FRES dispatches answered over 1000 alarms, with over 100 of them electrical hazards, and 63 of them were motor vehicle accidents involving injuries.

“That doubles our daily number of motor vehicle accidents we have every day,” he said. “Also, our reported structure fires, as you know, we were up 30 percent in one day. So that's a high call volume that we have.”

He encouraged residents to please sign up for Suffolk Alerts for updates and continue to monitor the county’s communications and social media for updates.

Romaine and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman declared a regional State of Emergency on Friday. This was followed by declarations at the state level by Gov. Kathy Hochul, Brookhaven Town by Supervisor Dan Panico, and Patchogue Village by Mayor Paul Pontieri.

In Patchogue, the declaration includes a provision where residents are barred from parking their vehicles in the street as to allow for emergency vehicles to traverse the roadways. It will remain in effect until 24 hours after the emergency.