East Lyme, Old Lyme, and Lyme Prepare for Hurricane Sandy

Town officials for Old Lyme, Lyme, and East Lyme have been busy making preparations for Hurricane Sandy. Thanks to an emergency preparedness drill at the start of the hurricane season, everyone has had a dry run at this and they have planned, they hope, for every contingency.

The biggest concern for Emergency Management officials, at this point, is that local residents won't heed the warnings should they come. All residents are urged to prepare for the storm and to monitor local media and social media for updates. The Lymes Patch will be reporting on the storm on the site and also on its Facebook page and Twitter feed. 

Shelter From The Storm

As was the case during tropical storm Irene, East Lyme's Community Center, at 37 Society Road in Niantic will serve as a base for the American Red Cross. East Lyme Middle School will be the overnight shelter for a number of surrounding towns, including Old Lyme and Lyme, which have no overnight shelter facilities. This shelter is open to both people and pets. 

Residents of both Lyme and Old Lyme can use the Lymes' Senior Center, 26 Town Road, in Old Lyme as a shelter during the day, where there will be food, water, light and heat provided by a generator. During tropical storm Irene, the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School was available for showers and that is likely to be the case again. 

Lyme

Lyme residents can take refuge at Lyme Consolidated School if the emergency becomes dire, altough the school does not have emergency power. Historically, Lyme First Selectman Ralph Eno says, "people ride it out in their homes. We're a small town that's been taking care of itself for a long time. The only thing that really matters to us is when the lights come on."

That being said, Eno adds that the town's emergency responders are in the process of contacting seniors and residents with special needs to let them know that the town is ready to help them. Old Lyme and East Lyme are also reaching out to the towns' most vulnerable populations. 

East Lyme

East Lyme town officials held a preliminary meeting yesterday and will hold another formal meeting at 8:30 a.m. on Monday to solidify emergency plans. As of Friday, the town has taken the following action:

• Camp Niantic has been contacted and the National Guard is standing by to offer assistance if needed. (In previous years, that's included clearing downed trees from roadways.)
• East Lyme Middle School has been approved as an overnight shelter for people and pets. 
• The town is contacting seniors and people who may be in need of special assistance.  

Old Lyme

Old Lyme officials will meet today at 8:30 a.m. to firm up plans for coping with storm-related emergencies. The town of Old Lyme issued a press release yesterday urging residents to prepare now. 

"The Old Lyme Emergency Management Operations Center has been monitoring the storm and is ramping up storm preparedness protocol as Hurricane Sandy churns northwards up the Atlantic Seaboard," the press release noted.

"The impact on Old Lyme could include storm force winds, repeated coastal and inland flooding during several high tide cycles (exasterbated by the full moon on Monday, Oct. 29), and heavy rainfall for several days that may affect low-lying areas and cause local rivers and streams to flood their banks," it read.

Potential Flood Zones

Watch out for flooding in low-lying areas. Heavy rains may bring flooding to Route 156 and Pennsylvania Avenue in Niantic if drains backup and all beach communities are at risk if there's a storm surge. East Lyme has also asked the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to draw down levels of Gorton Pond in an effort to prevent flooding. 

With its high water table and close proximity to the sound, Sound View Beach's Swan Pond area in Old Lyme is notorious for flooding but all beach areas are vulnerable to any storm surge.

In Lyme, Grassy Hill Road, the causeway on Ferry Road, Elys Ferry Road by the river, the area by the bridge to East Cove Road, and Route 156 by Beaver Brook are likely flood areas. If the rain and storm surge is severe, water may also spill over the dam at Ed Bills Pond in Lyme. 

The Forecast

The storm could bring winds of up to 40 mph, and could last up to 36 hours, according to Gov. Dannel Malloy. Malloy said to expect up to 7 inches of rain from the storm.

Accuweather.com reports that although rain is expected Sunday, the storm should really hit southeastern Connecticut Monday, when winds will be between 30 and 41 mph and there will be heavy rainfall.

Tuesday should be rainy as well, with winds between 20 and 49 mph, and then the rain should turn into a drizzle Tuesday night, according to accuweather.com. On Wednesday, there is a slight chance of rain during the day and a high chance of rain at night, with wind gusts between 11 and 20 mph, and then the storm should end.

Accuweather is predicting a storm surge of up to 5 to 10 feet, with widespread power outages and property damage a strong possibility.

What You Should Do Now

• Keep up-to-date on the latest forecasts and monitor changing storm conditions. The Lymes Patch will be updating the weather as it happens. 
• Local and state officials are encouraging people to clear their yards of possible projectiles such as toys, lawn furniture, tiki torches, or anything that could easily be blown around.
• Old Lyme urges people to inspect gutters and down spouts for proper drainage and runoff and that's good advice no matter where you live.
• Check and restock your emergency preparedness kit. You should be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least three days. 
• Register your cell phone and electronic devices on the CT Alert System, CTAlert.gov to make sure you receive important storm information.
• Officials are urging people to have phone numbers for important contacts written down (with no power, cell phones could die).
• Have a gallon of water per person for everyone in the home for three days.
• Make sure you have cash on hand. ATMs will not work if there is no power.
• Fill your car with gas in case the pumps are powerless and fill spare tanks if you have a generator. 
• Have batteries and a flashlight at the ready.
• People who are particularly vulnerable, such as the elderly (especially if they are living alone), should go to emergency shelters if a storm is expected to hit.
• CL&P cautions that if you see a downed power line, don't assume it's dead. Call the police or fire department.

Millstone Preparing

Millstone spokesman Ken Holt said the power plant has begun preparations for a storm, including either taking in or tying down everything outside that could become a projectile.

Holt said Millstone has not yet made a decision on if it will power down its two nuclear reactors, like it did during Tropical Storm Irene. Holt said that determination will be made in the upcoming days as the storm draws closer.

State Parks Closed Starting Monday

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced that all state parks will be closed starting Monday. Additionally the DEEP is pulling all boat docks and portable toilets from state boat launches.

Places for Information

Follow the state’s emergency preparedness guide here.

• Old Lyme Emergency Management Center, 189 Boston Post Road, (860) 598-0120 or call (860) 434-1605 ext. 231.
• East Lyme Emergency Management Center at 171 Boston Post Road, (860) 739-4434.  
• Lyme Emergency Management Center at the Fire House in Hamburg, (860) 434-8693

Check back with The Lymes Patch for more updates as the storm approaches southeastern Connecticut, and friend us on Facebook and Twitter to receive additional information.