With Hurricane Sandy expected to bring extreme weather to Long Island early Tuesday morning, local officials are preparing for the storm.
North Hempstead’s Highway Department spent Friday morning “prepping equipment—trucks, chain saws, sweepers, pay loaders, and pumps—and coordinating standby crews in the event the storm hits,” a North Hempstead spokesman said.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials are predicting that the storm will bring heavy rain, flooding, high winds, tornadoes, coastal surges, downed trees and widespread power outages.
“We are monitoring meteorological reports on Hurricane Sandy and working with both our county, state and local villages to make sure we can respond promptly to any incident that may arise due to the storm,” said Supervisor Jon Kaiman.
“In the event of an emergency during the storm, I urge residents to contact 911,” he added. “For all post-storm related matters, such as fallen trees, branches or power outages, residents can contact the North Hempstead Call Center by dialing 311.”
The Long Island Rail Road says it has begun storm preparations to ensure safe travel across the region. Check local media for the latest reports, and sign up for email or text message alerts at www.mta.info.
In additin, NICE bus will be monitoring the severe weather forecast for Nassau, Suffolk and Queens counties on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, especially for the potential of roadway flooding. Weather and road conditions may cause delays and service interruptions. Service on routes that include areas susceptible to flooding, and which could become impassable, may be impacted. Visit www.nicebus.com for the most updated route information.
