As Town Is Ready For Henri, Residents Must Get Ready Now: Mayor

EAST HAVEN, CT —The town's emergency management team met early Friday morning to discuss and plan for the potential arrival of Tropical Storm Henri late Sunday.

Mayor Joseph A. Carfora gathered Fire Chief Matt Marcarelli and other public safety officials and the town's public works director "to make sure plans were in place" ahead of the storm.

“As a shoreline community we always make sure our hurricane plan is ready to deploy,” Carfora said, adding the just as the town is planning, so too should residents.

“Have a plan in case there is no power, make a kit; water, basic first aid, food, batteries, flashlight, and a radio are some basic supplies,” he said. “Our town has had a great deal thrown our way in the last year-plus including a global pandemic, a storm with a micro-burst that ravaged East Haven a year ago almost to the day, and other tropical storms that hit the town hard. My administration, DPW and public safety officials have successfully navigated through those challenging times and will do the same in the face of Tropical Storm Henri.”

As of late Friday morning, Henri was located approximately 345 miles south southeast of Cape Hatteras and was moving northwest. It's forecasted to turn to the north northeast Friday evening and become a Category I hurricane and it's expected to make landfall near Stonington and the RI border Sunday night around 7 p.m. as a strong tropical storm with sustained winds of 70 MPH and gusts to 85 MPH.

Marcarelli said East Haven will see moderate to major coastal flooding with a storm surge 2 to 4 feet.

"I have directed public services crews to make sure that storm drains in the flood prone areas are clear," he said.

"With rain of 4 to 6 inches moderate river flooding is also expected which can be problematic along the Farm River," he said adding that public works crews have already been clearing debris along the river to ensure proper drainage and prevent flooding to the degree it is possible.

With winds forecasted up to 85 MPH on Sunday, downed trees and wires are always a hazard, Marcarelli and Carfora noted.

"Our Public Safety Team has already been in contact with United Illuminating who will be opening their Emergency Operations Center on Sunday," Carfora said, adding please do not approach downed wires, they may be energized and if using a generator make sure it is far away from the house.”

Carfora stressed that motorists must "never drive through standing water, it may be deeper and move faster than expected." And added that beach parking lots will be open so residents along the beach can relocate their cars.

"Regular updates will be provided as the storm develops, and in the event of evacuations, our shelters are ready to be opened at a moment’s notice," Carfora said.

The planning meeting included Carfora, Marcarelli, assistant fire chief Chuck Licata, East Haven Police Chief Ed Lennon, Deputy Chief Pat Tracy, Capt. David Emerman, Capt. Jospeh Murgo, Director of Administration Ray Baldwin, Assistant Director of Administration Michelle Benivegna, and Public Works Director Charlie Coyle.