Babylon Town Prepares for Hurricane Irene

Even as the threat of Hurricane Irene grows as the weekend approaches, Lindenhurst can rest assured that is getting ready to help residents in the event that the community takes a direct hit or simply gets clipped by heavy rains and winds.

“Right now we’re preparing all of the equipment we might need to utilize to keep roads clear,” said town spokesperson Tim Ruggeri. “We’re thinking that there might be trees or tree limbs down, so we want to keep roads as passable as possible.”

The town, he said, also has employees ready and available to be called into work in case that happens.

“We don’t know what exactly will happen with this storm, so we urge residents to stay informed, keep up with the news, check their local Patch for updates and be aware of any possible problems that might happen on their property,” Ruggeri said.

Indeed, there’s a shroud of uncertainty surrounding what the ultimate impact of Irene will be on Lindenhurst and the surrounding areas, but as of Wednesday afternoon forecasters were agreeing that this hurricane will maintain its intensity as it hits Long Island either directly or indirectly on Sunday.

Currently, forecasters have Irene coming up the East Coast, with it making landfall anywhere from South Carolina to Massachusetts over the weekend. For Lindenhurst and Long Island they worry that Irene will be a Category Two hurricane by the time it reaches the South Shore on Sunday.

If residents in Lindenhurst and across Babylon Town have an immediate emergency during the storm, then they should call 911, Ruggeri said.

“If it’s not an immediate threat, like a down limb with no wires down and no threat of fire or flood, then residents can call the town’s Office of Performance Management at 631-957-7474 with details of the problem,” said Ruggeri.

Residents will be able to leave a message with specifics, and messages left on that line will be monitored.

The town’s website will also have links to the Suffolk County government’s site and tips on what they could do to prepare themselves ahead of Hurricane Irene.