| Over 40 members attended a storm briefing this morning at Sayville Fire Department Headquarters. Chief Pantano went over response plans for the department during and after the storm as well as anticipated emergencies and how to handle them. The worst part of the storm will be in our area between 3AM and 2PM. This is a slow moving storm and a significant amount of downed trees and wires are expected in addition to major flooding. Once the storm hit our area, please do not leave the safety of your home. There are many hazards outside including flying debris, falling trees and limbs, downed power lines, and possibly fast moving water, etc.
Many homes near the water have been ordered to evacuate. Call the Town of Islip at 224-5730 or visit them at http://www.townofislip-ny.gov to see if your address is part of the mandatory evacuation and to see what shelters are open. Sayville's Chief wants to once again, remind those residents involved in the evacuation to leave. If those residents choose to stay during the storm, emergency help is not likely to get to them. Although there may be a few exceptions, emergency responders will not go out once the winds hit 50mph because of the many hazards present with those wind speeds. In addition, most fire trucks cannot get through deep water without getting stuck or sustaining significant damage. Emergency vehicle damage during the storm would impact Sayville's ability to respond to emergencies after the storm. Chief Pantano says, "If you are in an area that has been listed as a Hurricane Category 1 Flood Zone, leave ahead of the storm and be safe."
In addition, firefighters will not be able to pump out homes during or after the storm. Tree cutting will only be done to clear access and egress for responders unless, of course, someone is trapped.
Chief Pantano said, "Our volunteer firefighters will be standing by at their stations before, during and after the storm. Many of them will be leaving their families at home during the storm. I appreciate their dedication to serving the community and thank their family members for lending us their loved ones." |
