By ANTHONY BOTTAN
According to Mayor Edward Cahill, the village is absolutely ready for such a storm, and he and other Valley Stream officials have been regularly meeting with their colleagues from Lynbrook, Malverne, East Rockaway and Freeport to coordinate a strategic plan to deal with a hurricane. "We will be assisting each other in reference to equipment, help and laborers," Cahill said.
He explained that in the event of a hurricane, one of the biggest problems would be moving residents out of their homes and into shelters. The village has designated Memorial Junior High School as the main shelter, and the VFW and American Legion halls as other shelters to which residents can evacuate.
Cahill said that residents must also do their part to prepare for a major storm, by packing a bag with flashlights, important papers, passports and a portable radio. 1620 AM is the radio station the village uses to send emergency messages to residents, and the mayor said it is imperative that residents be aware of and attentive to any requests the village makes on the air.
Nick Camarano, superintendent of the Department of Public Works, said that in the event of a hurricane, the department's job is keep roads open, put up barricades and assist the fire department if needed. Camarano said the village owns three bucket trucks, which are used to clear broken or fallen tree limbs from homes and electrical wires. According to Camarano, Valley Stream is the only village in the Town of Hempstead with more than one bucket truck. He said that the value of the equipment has been immeasurable during inclement weather.
Five streams run through Valley Stream. Camarano said that water naturally flows to these low-lying areas, taking some of the burden off the drainage system. Though the DPW keeps the drains clean, Camarano said that if a hurricane drops four inches of rain per hour, no drainage system can handle it.
Michael Wyllie, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service Forecast Office at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Suffolk County, suggested that people in flood zones talk with friends and relatives on higher ground before a storm hits, and make arrangements to stay with them when it arrives. Wyllie also suggested that people cut tree limbs hanging over their homes before a major storm hits.
Residents worried about how they can ensure the safety of their families and property are urged by the county's Office of Emergency Management to join Community Emergency Response Teams, or CERTs. The teams train people to recognize, prepare for, respond to and recover from a major emergency. After completing the training, a CERT member can assist other response teams during disasters. For more information on CERTs, call (516) 573-0636.
Though it may be difficult to accept during an actual emergency, Cahill's advice to residents is simple. "Don't be afraid to leave," he said, "and protect your property as well as you can."
Laura Lane contributed to this story. Comments about it? VSeditor@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 246.
