Full Notification

PRESS RELEASE

In Preparation Sandy

For Immediate Release: October 29, 2012
Contact: Doug Brent, Fire Chief and Emergency Operations Director
[email protected] 846-4110

Staff from the City Manager’s Office, Fire Dept., Police Dept., and Public Works departments met this morning to review current updates for Monday afternoon’s projected weather conditions.
These departments have been preparing staff and equipment to respond to situations that may arise. City Staff has been in contact with Vermont Emergency Management.

On Sunday October 28th Governor Peter Shumlin issued his declaration of a State of Emergency. This was in order to allow placement and access to state and federal resources.

As of Noon today the South Burlington School Department has cancelled all classes and activities for Tuesday October 30th. Also the South Burlington Community Library will be closing today at 5:00 p.m. and will remain closed Tuesday, October 30th. All South Burlington Recreation Department activities for Monday, October 29th and Tuesday, October 30th are also cancelled. The South Burlington City Hall will be closed for business on Tuesday October
30th and all non-essential staff will be told to remain home. The City Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 30th has been
cancelled. Absentee/Early Voting and Voter Registration
Absentee/early voting will not be possible at City Hall on Tuesday, October 30th as the offices will be closed. The last day to register to vote is Wednesday, October 31st by 5:00 p.m. Voter application forms can be found on the front page of the City’s website at
www.sburl.com Please print the form, fill it out, scan it and e-mail to the City Clerk at [email protected] or deliver it to City Hall on Wednesday, October 31st.

For those with no computer access we expect to be open at 8:00 a.m., Wednesday, October 31st.

Weather and Information Updates

Please do not take this storm lightly. This is a very serious storm. A major flood event is not likely. However, very strong and sustained high winds and gusts are expected to cause trees to fall with resultant power outages. Dangerous winds will begin by mid-afternoon Monday and last through 1100 AM on Tuesday.
Information can change so please be diligent in checking which can be found by going to www.sburl.com and click on our Facebook or Twitter Icons.

City of South Burlington Emergency Management Officials are urging people to stay at home and not go out in this storm.
Suggested preparedness actions in advance of power outages for the public: Check flashlights and portable radios to ensure that they are working, and you have extra batteries. A battery powered radio is an important source of critical weather and emergency information during a storm.

If your water supply could be affected by a power outage (a well-water pump system), fill your bathtub and spare containers with water. Water in the bathtub should be used for sanitation purposes only, not as drinking water. Pouring a pail of water from the tub directly into the bowl can flush a toilet. Set your refrigerator and freezer to their coldest settings (remember to reset them back to normal once power is restored). During an outage, do not open the refrigerator or freezer door unnecessarily. Food can stay cold
in a full refrigerator for up to 24 hours, and in a well-packed freezer for 48 hours (24 hours if it is half-packed).

If you have medication that requires refrigeration, check with your
pharmacist for guidance on proper storage during an extended outage.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and guidelines when using a
generator. Always use outdoors, away from windows and doors. Carbon Monoxide (CO) fumes are odorless and can quickly accumulate indoors. Never try to power the house wiring by plugging the generator directly into household wiring, a practice known as “backfeeding.” This is extremely dangerous and presents an electrocution risk to utility workers and neighbors served by the same utility transformer. It also bypasses some of the built-in household circuit protection devices.

Make sure your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors have fresh
batteries and are in working order. Be extra cautious when you go outside to inspect for damage after a storm. Downed or hanging electrical wires can be hidden by trees or debris, and could be live. Never attempt to touch or move downed lines, and keep children and pets away from them. Do not touch anything power lines are touching, such as tree branches or fences. Always assume a
downed line is a live line. Call your utility company to report any outagerelated problem.

Electric telephones may not work during power outages. Please be sure to have cellphones charged for use.

Use caution should you need to leave home as roads may be flooded and traffic signals may not be working.

For more preparedness tips visit: http://vem.vermont.gov/preparedness.