Town of Brookline Provides Hurricane and Flood Safety Tips

BROOKLINE, MA – As Tropical Storm Isaias continues to move up the coast, with the chance that it may impact New England today, Town Administrator Mel Kleckner recommends that residents take the necessary safety precautions to prepare themselves for a potentially serious storm.

Isaias is expected to arrive to Massachusetts in the late afternoon and continue through tonight and into Wednesday morning. A tropical storm warning is currently in effect for Suffolk County. The peak wind forecast is 20-30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph. There is a limited chance of heavy rain, flooding and tornadoes, though showers and thunderstorms may still occur and widespread power outages are possible.

“With the Tropical Storm Isaias expected to reach us as soon as this afternoon and continue into Wednesday, we are strongly urging residents to follow these safety tips and to stay inside until the storm passes,” said Town Administrator Kleckner. “With high winds expected, it’s important that residents take all these necessary precautions, especially tying down or otherwise securing outdoor furniture. These steps will go a long way towards protecting yourself, your family and the community.”

Town officials suggest that all residents follow tips provided by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA):

• Do not go out during a hurricane or tropical storm, if possible.
• Tying down or otherwise securing all outdoor furniture due to high winds.
• Checking flashlights and portable radios to confirm they’re working.
• Fully charging your cell phone, laptop and any other devices before the storm.
• If you own a car, making sure its gas tank is at least half full in the event you need to travel. Purchase a car phone charger so that you can charge your device if you lose power at your home.
• Ensuring that you have an emergency kit that has basic medicine and bandages.
  • Include disinfectants, hand sanitizer and other cleaning supplies that you may need in an emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Setting your refrigerator and freezer to their coldest settings (remember to reset them back to normal once power is restored). During an outage, minimize the number of times you open the refrigerator or freezer door.
• Being prepared by packing a bag with important items in case you need to evacuate. Don’t forget to include needed medications and any valuable personal belongings.
• Be a good neighbor. Check on family, friends, and neighbors, especially the elderly, those who live alone, those with medical conditions and those who may need additional assistance.

MEMA recommends purchasing a generator to maintain electricity despite an outage. Generators should always be kept outside since they emit deadly carbon monoxide fumes that can quickly accumulate if indoors.

After a storm passes through the area, residents should remain cautious. Heavy rain and strong winds can cause a multitude of problems like power outages, fallen debris and floods that often block roads and emergency vehicles, prolonging damage.

• Call 9-1-1 to report emergencies, including downed power lines and gas leaks.
• Stay away from downed utility wires. Always assume a downed power line is live.
• If your power is out, follow MEMA’s power outage safety tips. Report power outages to your utility company. Do not call 9-1-1 to report an outage or to ask about power restoration.

To report any service-related issue, receive alerts or find helpful service-related FAQs, residents should contact Verizon at 1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966) or online at www.verizon.com/outage.

Small business customers can visitwww.verizon.com/business for information and ways to receive help. Medium business and enterprise customers should contact their regular customer service centers or account teams, as needed. Enterprise customers can also access the Enterprise Center at www.enterprisecenter.verizon.com.

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