NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — The Red Cross is at the ready to respond to areas that might get hit by Henri this weekend, including Nassau and Suffolk counties where preparations are well underway for possible storm impacts.
Ahead of the storm's arrival in the Tri-State area, the Red Cross of Greater New York has been setting up shelters and gathering its volunteers in the event of evacuations.
"We have a lot of trained volunteers who are out there who have done this before who actually are veterans of Sandy and Irene," said CEO Mary Barnaby. "We can stand up a shelter in a moment's notice because you can't just do that when the hurricane hits, it's got to be ready."
Barnaby is recommending residents stay informed and make their own preparations.
"Listen to the local radio stations," Barnaby said. "Sometimes in your own particular community they have information available online or through local government, so please pay attention to that. If there is an evacuation requirement make sure that your car is full of gas and that you know what the evacuation route is."
Also avoid the beach and be sure to secure outdoor furniture, garbage cans and other loose items that could be turned into projectiles in the strong winds.
More information is available on the Red Cross Emergency app.
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Hurricane and tropical storm watches and warnings are in effect for parts of Long Island and Connecticut as Henri is forecast to impact the Tri-State area this weekend with storm surge, wind and rain.
Rough surf and rip currents will develop Saturday with showers and thunderstorms increasing Saturday night before Henri passes just east of our area Sunday into Sunday night, according to current projections.
Local power outages and coastal flooding are possible.
Suffolk County is expected to get the brunt of the storm and County Executive Steve Bellone said they are preparing for the worst case scenario.
"We expect to see 8 to 12 foot waves with the potential for 12 to 16 foot waves if the storm tracks further to the west," said Bellone. "Our biggest concerns of course are coastal flooding and as always we're preparing for what could be hurricane force winds, Category 1 sustained to 74 mile per hour winds, gusts up to 90 miles an hour."
In an interview with WCBS 880 on Friday afternoon, Bellone said Suffolk County is "in full storm prep" and "bracing for a significant storm event."
Larger trucks to collect fallen trees and debris along with other storm equipment, including chainsaws, bucket trucks, chippers, and generators, are ready to go.
"We ask that you dial 911 only for life threatening emergencies," Bellone said. "When an event like this occurs 911 gets inundated with calls. We want to make sure that those that those lines are as clear as possible to deal with the real emergencies."
Nassau's Office of Emergency Management is also on high alert and closely monitoring Henri's track.
"Our incredible workforce stands ready to address potential issues impacting the County. While we prepare our emergency vehicles and check storm drains for debris, we are asking all residents to begin securing patio furniture and other loose items in and around their homes," Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said. "At this time, we anticipate high tides, coastal flooding on both the North and South shore as well as gusty winds that may cause power outages."
Residents are being advised to have working flashlights, extra batteries, bottled water, candles and other basic essentials in case the power goes out.
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On Saturday morning, Curran told WCBS 880 flooding will be a serious issue and the county has high-axle vehicles ready to go and has stationed some in high-risk areas, including Island Park which is prone to flooding.
"We're making sure our storm drains are clear, our water outfalls are clear, and we have crews ready to go to clear up debris as soon as it starts to come down," Curran said. "This could be quite serious."
PSEG Long Island said in the worst case scenario residents could be without power for up to 10 days, which Curran found surprising.
"We all know that this storm is coming, I know that they're getting crews from out of town, but we have to make sure that they are ready to deal with this," Curran said. "I believe seven to 10 days is unacceptable and they need to do everything they can to prevent that from happening."
"We know what happens with storms. Trees come down, power lines go down so we need to be prepared as we possibly can. This is not our first rodeo," Curran added.