Leaders meet to discuss potential storm damage
By Stacy Sirkissoon, Olivia Hickey
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SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts (WGGB, WSHM-LD) — While it may not have hit western Mass. as hard as we initially thought, that didn’t change how Springfield city officials prepared for tropical storm Henri.
Given how windy it was Sunday, city officials ensured they had a plan in place to prepare. Springfield Police respond to an average of 300 to 500 calls every day, but with a storm like Henri they expected 100 to 150 more calls. In anticipation, they had to staff up.
Springfield Police asked residents to be patient, as response times may take longer. DPW officials expected flooding to be their biggest issue. To avoid this, they stress the importance of keeping storm drains clear of debris and leaves for drainage.
Helen Caulton-Harris, the health commissioner of Springfield, said residents can prepare for power outages just by knowing a few simple things:
“When we lose power, obviously food becomes a challenge. I ask folks to keep refrigerators closed, food stays good for four hours, after you lose power perhaps a full freezer 48 hours is safe and a half freezer 24 hours is safe,” said Caulton-Harris.
Harris did stress- when in doubt throw it out!
She also said, residents should have at least a five-day supply of any medication they may need. PVTA officials said that if they meet unsafe conditions, such as flooding or trees down, there may be a detour and wait times will change.
The best way to monitor is to keep tabs on the PVTA website and alerts.
All officials emphasize, do not drive through a flooded area.
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