Coventry EMA to Open Shelter at CHS on Sunday Afternoon

The Town of Coventry Emergency Management Staff (EMA) in cooperation with all Emergency Response Agencies and Human Services Agencies of the Town of Coventry, continue to prepare for Hurricane Sandy.

The Coventry EMA is monitoring the storm and working hand-in-hand with the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency to gather information needed to make critical storm related decisions. 

In preparation for the severe rain and wind expected from Hurricane Sandy which is forecasted to strike our area on Monday the Coventry EOC will be opening a shelter at Coventry High School (40 Reservoir Rd.) at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 28th. The preferred response would be to stay with family or friends, however, anyone seeking shelter is encouraged to make use of the High School facility.

Campers and residential mobile homes are susceptible to heavy damage from storms with moderate wind speeds and high gusting wind speeds. The conditions expected from this hurricane may cause damage to these types of structures.

The shelter will NOT be able to accommodate family pets, please make alternative arrangements. As a last resort, the Coventry Animal Shelter will be able to accommodate a small number of pets, which will be subject to a first come, first serve basis due to space limitations. Coventry Animal Control can be reached at 822-9106.

Click here for more information on pet preparedness in the case of an emergency provided by Coventry Animal Control.

A 24-hour information line for shelter information will be manned beginning at 8 a.m. Sunday morning. Please call 822-6215 for information.

The Coventry EMA respectfully requests that ALL political candidates take measures to retrieve and/or secure their political signs prior to Monday morning.

Click here for a personal emergency kit checklist provided by the Coventry EMA.

Hurricane Sandy is expected to impact Rhode Island sometime Monday morning and continue through the evening. Weather forecasts are predicting severe weather situations that may prevent a response from emergency services. If this occurs, emergency services may not be able to respond to calls for service until the storm intensity decreases and conditions improve. Please take this into consideration as services will be burdened during and after this event. We thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

The Coventry EMA is making plans for possible water distribution after the storm, sandbags for residents that may need such for flooding, debris cleanup for after the storm, opening of roads that may become blocked by debris and restoration of utilities should they be lost during the storm.

For more information regarding the planning by Coventry EMA you may go to the Town of Coventry website http://www.town.coventry.ri.us/ or the Coventry Police Department website http://www.coventrypd.org/.

Additional information may be obtained from the Rhode Island EMA at their website http://www.riema.ri.gov/.