Paul Bass Photo
Fontana at the EOC briefing.
Rick Fontana had good news for officials gathered Friday afternoon in the underground Emergency Operations Center (EOC): They probably won’t have to return this week.
“We’ve dodged a bullet with Joaquin,” Fontana declared. “But we need to be very conscious of the “smaller storm headed our way.
Fontana spoke at a 1 p.m. storm briefing.
Dozens of city officials and staffers originally planned to attend the briefing to prepare for a possible hurricane — named Joaquin — that could hit New Haven in the coming days.
Then Fontana received a National Weather Service alert at 5:30 a.m. Friday — reporting that Joaquin is expected to have “no direct effect” on New Haven. It is expected to blow eastward offshore before arriving that far north.
Phew.
For the most part.
Fontana still asked 15 or so officials — including the mayor and from the police and fire and public works departments, among others — to gather to discuss more modest preparations. Fontana said the city still expects some coastal flooding at usual spots — Morris Cove, under Fair Haven railroad bridges, Union Avenue — and is putting up some barricades.
The parks department is also anticipating downed trees from winds that may reach 30 – 40 miles per hour. Parks chief Rebecca Bombero asked citizens to help clear storm drains that might get clogged by falling leaves.
Fontana also urged people not to drive through water, especially when officials put up barriers to detour traffic. He noted that a woman in West Haven drowned after driving under water in a previous storm. “Want want to make sure that doesn’t happen” in New Haven, he said.