Newtown Urges Residents To Prepare For Hurricanes

NEWTOWN, CT — Although Hurricane/Tropical Storm Jose appears that it will largely spare Newtown, town officials are still urging residents to take caution and prepare for storms. The town's extended Emergency Preparedness Team met Monday to discuss the storm.

Much of the southern part of Connecticut was on a Tropical Storm watch Monday, but those predictions seem to have tapered off Tuesday. As of 3:45 p.m. Tuesday, Newtown's forecast calls for a 50-70 percent chance of rain and winds of around 15 miles per hour, according to the national weather service.

The town is asking residents to be prepared, and to sign up for local alerts. Below is information provided by the town for residents in preparation for the storm.

Be Informed

• Register with CodeRed to receive CodeRED alerts provided by the Town and include your cell phone number so you may receive the messages. Code Red – register at www.newtown-ct.gov or call 203-270-4370 for assistance;
• Register with Smart911 so a specific profile can be created for family members, pets, home details, etc, and the information is secure. Do that at the link on the Town website or if you don’t have internet access, call Maureen Will at Newtown Emergency Communications (203) 270-4296 for assistance;
• Subscribe to News and Announcements so you can receive info that is sent out to the community from the First Selectmen’s office. Sign up on the Town website: www.newtown-ct.gov ;
• The state launched “CTPrepares” mobile app for smart phone and tablet devices. The app, which can be downloaded free of charge from the Apple iTunes store and the Google Play store, provides Connecticut residents with information and alerts in emergency situations, and gives preparedness tips in
• advance of an emergency;
• Residents are encouraged to subscribe to alert services - go to www.ct.gov/ctalert to register for emergency alerts
• Eversource customers can report a power outage and get updates through text messages. Customers must first register their mobile device online at Eversource.com, or directly from their mobile phone by texting “REG” to 23129. To learn more about alerts and reporting, go to Eversource.com

Important numbers and contact information that should be kept handy:

• Always, if there is a Life Safety Emergency – call 911
• To report a power outage – call Eversource 800-286-2000
• Connecticut’s free info and referral service: call 2-1-1 or visit www.211ct.org

Secure property - Survey property and look for potential physical hazards. Bring outdoor furniture, decorations, signs, garbage cans inside; trim trees/branches; clear clogged gutters and yard drains.

Generators – Permanent generators should be installed by a licensed professional and with a permit issued by the Building Department. Portable generators are useful but can be hazardous. They should only be used outdoors and away from doors, windows and vents; NEVER use in homes, garages, basements, crawl spaces or partially enclosed spaces even with ventilation. Be sure to operate in accordance with
manufacturers’ instructions.

Preparedness is everyone’s responsibility. The Town works to minimize effects of disasters through comprehensive mitigation, planning, training and response. Residents need to do their part, as they have the best understanding of their own property, and personal, physical, emotional and medical circumstances.