West Hartford Officials Issue Elsa Advisory

WEST HARTFORD, CT — West Hartford officials late Thursday night related an advisory on Tropical Storm Elsa.

Here it is:

West Hartford officials have been actively watching Tropical Storm Elsa creep towards Connecticut. While on the edge of the weather pattern and southern areas of the State are predicted to be hit harder, the possibility of heavy rain and wind impacting the community is likely. Here is an update on some of the Town’s preparedness and some tips to assist you with safely navigating potential storm conditions.

First, Town staff have convened to discuss preparedness and to ensure appropriate Town resources are available to the community. Members of key Departments are prepared to convene an emergency operations center (EOC) and the Town’s Public Works, as well as Police and Fire Departments, are on- duty and prepared to respond. Contact has been established with a specific Eversource liaison to ensure that there is strong and effective communication between the Town and any power restoration needs or efforts. Eversource has a cache of dedicated resources that can be used to immediately address any life- safety issues that may arise in West Hartford.

There is the potential for flooding, trees down, road closures, and loss of power. Websites like www.ready.gov offer detailed hazard-specific guides and advice but here are a few local tips for West Hartford residents and businesses.

1. Monitor the weather progression and information relative to the storm. The weather and local situation can change quickly.
2. Report power outages directly to Eversource online or at 800-286-2000.
3. Have a personal, family, or business plan for handling a power outage. This may include securing extra ice for refrigerators, charging cell phones, ensuring flashlights are on hand, fueling generators or considering options for where you may go if you lose power for an extended period of time.
4. Use caution with the placement of generators to ensure that hot mufflers are not in close contact with combustibles and that exhaust is properly vented to the outside. Similarly, use caution with alternate cooking sources like charcoal or propane grills.
5. Do not approach downed trees or wires or attempt to cut or clear them. Whether a wire or tree is energized cannot be determined by looking at it. Eversource has more information at https://www.eversource.com/con...
6. Limit travel to only necessary activities. Use extra caution if driving and do not drive through large pools of water. If you see yellow tape or other barriers around a tree or wire, do not attempt to travel through the area. A responder has deemed that a potential hazard exists, isolated the area, and has properly reported it.

Lastly, life-threatening emergencies take precedence. Reserve the use of 911 for emergencies. Travel hazards, flooding, and other non-emergency situations can be reported to the Public Safety Emergency Reporting Center at 860-523-5203. Due to the high volume of incidents that get reported in a short period of time, public safety responders must prioritize each call. We ask for patience but have confidence someone will come to assess the situation. When contacting any agency, be as clear and specific with both the location and the situation you are reporting. Accurate information is paramount in ensuring the appropriate response.