By Jeff Lipton
The hurricane, which has been downgraded from a Category 5 to a Category 2 since last week, is expected to hit the area on Thursday or Friday if it fails to stay at sea. Neighborhoods close to water and prone to flooding have been issued stern warnings by local, state and federal authorities to be prepared. Atlantic Beach has been one of the most vulnerable areas during such storms, and residents and local officials are making preparations as they track Isabel.
We're watching and waiting and preparing ourselves, said Atlantic Beach Mayor Stephen Mahler. We're a low-lying area, and low-lying areas always face the possibility of flooding. We are always worried about these storms. We have suffered severe flooding during nor'easters. It doesn't have to be a hurricane. We have our emergency evacuation plan in place.
He said that Atlantic Beach, through the Nassau County Village Officials Association, has joined a consortium of villages, including Valley Stream, Lynbrook, East Rockaway and Freeport, that would share resources, equipment and personnel in times of emergency.
Atlantic Beach was also one of the first villages to put in place a telephone system, called Reverse 911, to alert residents of emergencies. Atlantic Beach inaugurated the system in July, and has used it to announce an upcoming board meeting and a change in the garbage pickup schedule. The village plans to use the calls primarily for hurricane evacuations, with the hope of contacting every resident in under three hours, Mahler said. The main evacuation route for the village remains Route 878.
We have our equipment ready and one of the best rescue squads on Long Island, who will have their equipment ready at a moment's notice, Mahler said.
Morris Kramer, an environmentalist from Atlantic Beach, said the bays and ocean are already high from recent storms and rainfall. A powerful hurricane need not pass through the area for there to be significant flooding. He said a Category 2 could produce a storm surge of four to eight feet over the entire barrier island. That could push some houses that are built on slabs off their foundations.
Lawrence Village Mayor Dr. Jack Levenbrown said village officials are tracking the storm, and that preparations are being coordinated with the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department and the county's Office of Emergency Management. Our highway department will be staffed and our equipment prepared, Levenbrown said. When I heard that the hurricane had been downgraded, I was much less concerned, but we are tracking it very carefully.
We are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best, he added.
The possibility that Isabel might make landfall in the area has already forced Five Towns groups to take necessary steps. The 18th Annual Five Towns Community Chest Fair, which was scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in Cedarhurst Park, has been postponed because of the pending storm. Members of the Five Towns Community Chest Fair Committee met on Sunday, Sept. 14, and decided to reschedule the fair for Saturday, Oct. 25 and Sunday, Oct. 26.
Taking into account the weather projections, we decided to err on the side of public safety, said Bob Block, the fair's chairman and a vice president of Community Chest. He said that since Cedarhurst Park may be in poor condition due to the expected rain, the committee decided to postpone setting up the fair, which is done on the Thursday and Friday before the fair.
We're not afraid of getting wet, but we absolutely realize it could destroy the feeling of the fair, Block said. There's a very strong possibility that we would not enjoy the weekend with the weather. That's the chance you take when you run outdoor events. Safety comes first. I'm disappointed, but we're looking to put a fair together in October.
County officials said they are prepared and have reviewed plans in the event of a hurricane. In the unlikely event that people have to evacuate, the best chance of getting that information is with a battery-powered radio, said Legislator Jeff Toback (D-Oceanside). People have to stay as calm as possible, use common sense and pay attention.
He said the county's Office of Emergency Management is coordinating efforts. As far as I'm concerned, with the help of the police and fire departments, the county is in good hands, Toback said.
Michael D. Brown, under-secretary for emergency preparedness and response for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is monitoring the progress of the storm along with other Department of Homeland Security officials. Isabel is a good reminder that Americans in coastal regions should take the time to prepare for a hurricane well before it arrives by developing a family communication plan, an emergency supply kit and by learning more about the threats hurricanes present, said Brown. FEMA is also preparing now by closely monitoring the hurricane's development and planning to manage a federal response if it becomes necessary.
The ninth named storm of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season, Isabel at one point had sustained winds of over 155 mph. Large ocean swells and dangerous surf are likely in coastal areas in the hurricane's path. On Tuesday, the hurricane was packing wind gusts of about 120 mph.
Officials at FEMA said that residents are encouraged to take steps to prepare, including:
n Buy bottled water or store tap water in clean containers with lids. For drinking, you need two quarts per person per day. Be sure to have several days' worth on hand for each person and your pets.
n Ensure that you have on hand several days' worth of canned and/or non-perishable food that doesn't need refrigeration or cooking. Be sure you have a non-electric can opener.
n Make sure you have a transistor radio and flashlights that work, along with extra batteries. And make sure you have a basic first aid kit.
n Know where your main shut-off switches are for electricity, water and gas.
n Discuss with members of your family how you will contact one another if the hurricane comes ashore when family members are separated. Discuss evacuation routes and relatives or friends outside the immediate area that you can all contact to report your location.
n Make sure your pets have collars and identification tags, and enough food to last several days.
