Derby’s Office of Emergency Management will be using Facebook and Twitter to spread information as Hurricane Sandy approaches Connecticut.
Click here to access the Derby OEM Facebook page.
Click here to follow them on Twitter.
If the need arises, Derby Middle School on Nutmeg Avenue will be used as an emergency shelter. If the shelter is activated, the city will use its reverse 911 system to notify residents.
Gov. Dannel Malloy said residents should expect to lose electricity for an extended period of time.
Among the chief concerns with the impending storm — its duration. Some forecasts are calling for up to 36 hours of heavy rain, which could result in widespread flooding.
Charles Sampson, Derby’s Director of Emergency Management, said Friday officials have already warned residents who live in McConney’s Grove, a low-lying neighborhood in Derby that sits on the shores of the Housatonic River off Roosevelt Drive.
In addition, Sampson said Derby has also been in contact with FirstLight Power, the company that owns Stevenson Dam.
“They’ve lowered their rivers as much as they can according to regulation,” Sampson said. “If we get a day-and-a-half or two-day storm, we could be looking at issues as the water level rises.”
Sampson said his agency will try to send out notices to the press this weekend as the storm approaches.
He advised residents with questions or concerns should call the Derby Police Department at (203) 735‑7811. Emergencies should be reported using 911.
