Valley Stream prepares for Hurricane Irene

Valley Streamers are getting ready for Hurricane Irene, which is expected to hit Long Island Saturday night or Sunday morning. 

Current projections have the storm hitting the east coast of New Jersey by 8 a.m. on Sunday. Irene has sustained winds of 105 mph as it moves up the East Coast, with possible landfall in the North Carolina Saturday morning.

Village officials have already begun to prepare for the storm. Mayor Ed Fare said that highway crews have cleaned out storm drains, focusing on high-risk flood areas to allow water to flow quickly.

They have also opened the weir — a gate by the Hendrickson Park pool which, when closed, keeps water in Hendrickson Lake. By opening the weir, Fare said, it will allow water to flow freely through the streams and into Jamaica Bay. All debris in this area has also been cleared out.

The village’s Office of Emergency Management will be open during the course of the storm. Fare also said the highway crews will be called in as needed if there is any storm damage.

Fare said his advice for residents is to secure all lose items around their homes such as patio furniture. Also, he said, make sure to have a 3 to 4 day supply of water and a full tank of gas in the car. He said if the power goes out, a car can be a good place to listen to the radio for storm updates and emergency information.

Valley Stream resident Joanie Wendt said she is heeding that advice, securing patio furniture, purchasing gas for a generator and making sure she has a good supply of batteries and snacks. Christine Fischer said on Thursday said she would be picking up "batteries and junk food."

Grace Ilasi was trying to remain optimistic. “Hoping it goes the other way,” she said of the storm.

Gibson resident Carol Crupi said this hurricane could be a test to see if the Federal Emergency Management Agency's new flood maps are valid. Much of Gibson was put into the high-risk flood zone in September 2009, mandating that homeowners with a mortgage by flood insurance.

Crupi said that while she expects some local street flooding and some basements filling with water, she doesn't expect a coastal flood to reach all the way to Sunrise Highway. "I really don’t think we’re going to see 11 feet of water on Gibson Boulevard," she said. I’m more worried about my roof blowing off than a flood.”

For more information on the village's Hurricane preparations, visit www.vsvny.org.

For information from the Nassau County Office of Emergency Managment on Hurricane prepartion, please click here.