As Henri Looms, Public Urged To Prepare

Henri’s barreling our way. The city has declared ​“all hands on deck” to prepare for possible flooding, power outages, and downed trees.

Henri is the name of a tropical storm that is projected possibly to turn into a hurricane that hits New Haven (or comes close) on Sunday.

Officials laid out their plans and issued preparation advice to the public at a Friday afternoon press conference held at 1 Union Ave. police headquarters.

They noted that the most recent projections show Henri could result in two to four feet of storm surge, two to four inches of rain, and winds of up to 70 miles per hour Sunday between mid-day and midnight. The city plans to open its emergency operations center, fully staffed at 9 a.m. Sunday. It also plans to open an emergency shelter at Career Regional High School on Legion Avenue in case families need to evacuate their homes. Officials who work with the homeless are teaming up with colleagues at nonprofits to help unsheltered people find safe places to stay.

The governor , meanwhile, declared a state of emergency.

“We will have all hands on deck,” city emergency management chief Rick Fontana said at the New Haven press conference. ​“This is going to be a difficult storm. We will prepare for the worst” and hope for the better.

Officials are particularly worried about the prospect of the storm hitting hardest at noon and midnight high tide.

They urged New Haveners to stock up on supplies, including food, water, and batteries, and to fully charge devices in case the power goes out. They asked people to check on neighbors as well.

And, based on how many people who lost their cars in recent storms, City Engineer Giovanni Zinn offered this plea: ​“Do not drive on any flooded roads.”

“If there is water on the road,” he repeated, ​“do not drive on the road.”

Officials are keeping close track of the forecast as it evolves, since small changes in the storm’s path can make a big difference in where it hits hardest. ​“We’re hitting refresh on the national weather center,” Zinn said, ​“like we’re buying concert tickets.”

More Preparation Tips

Following are additional suggestions for how to prepare for Tropical Storm/Hurricane Henri, courtesy ofthe state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and the Commission on Fire Prevention and Control:

• Use portable generators outside and away from the home to prevent exhaust gasses and Carbon Monoxide from entering the house.
If your CO Detector sounds, evacuate the home and call the fire department. They can come to check for the presence of CO and also check your fuel burning appliances for problems. 

• During power outages many people choose to use candles to provide light in their home. Candles are open flames and can ignite any nearby combustibles. Blow out candle when you leave a room or use flashlights as a safer alternative.

• If outside or while driving, be especially aware of the potential for downed power lines. They are often tangled in trees and might not be easily visible. Any downed wire must be considered live so keep at least 10 – 15 feet away from any downed wires.

• Downed wires can also come in contact with other items; fences, guardrails and or roadside signs and can potentially energize them as well, which can cause an electrocution hazard.

• Street flooding is also a common outcome from storms. If you see water covering the roadway, you cannot easily determine the depth of the water so do not drive through standing water, it is always safer to go around. Remember, Don’t drown, go around.

• Check your sump pump before the storm to ensure it is working properly. If your basement does flood, avoid entering the standing water to prevent contamination from possible sewage. Also stay away from any electrical fixtures in the basement and have the water removed as soon as you can. 

Watch The Press Conference

The city press conference about Henri begins at the 18:41 mark in this video. (The first part of the view concerns a two-and-a-half-week crackdown on speeders.)