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FAIRFIELD, Conn. Ed Bucholz couldnt have taken his boat out of the water if he wanted to. While preparing for Hurricane Irene this week, Bucholz called his off-season storage center to see if he could get a spot for the weekend. They were full up. So on Friday Bucholz took to South Benson Marina to batten down the hatches and hope for the best.
Im not worried about the hurricane, Im worried about the boat, Bucholz said as he tied up Dee Gee IV. I know Ill be safe because my house is 270 feet above sea level. But my boats a big investment.
The first traces of Hurricane Irene are due to hit Fairfields coastline Saturday night, with the worst arriving Sunday. The National Weather Service predicts wind gusts as strong as 90 mph, rainfall of 5 to 10 inches and several feet of tidal surge.
The Fairfield Police Marine Unit has asked all boat owners to dry-dock their vessels if possible. But some, like Peter Cummings, are unable to find accommodations on such short notice and will have to tie down loose ends and pray.
Ive had a storm worry me like this one, Cummings said. Its 75 to 90 mile an hour winds for 18 hours. This just wears you out.
Homeowners along the coast will have to prepare their homes and leave by Saturday afternoon. The town ordered a mandatory evacuation for all homes within a block of the shore starting at noon Saturday. Residents can voluntarily evacuate those areas or any others as early as Saturday morning. Fairfields emergency shelter will be set up at Fairfield Ludlowe High School.
If Irene remains a hurricane by the time it reaches Fairfield, it will be the first to hit the town since Hurricane Gloria in 1986. Bucholz didnt live in Fairfield at the time, but he remembers the storm well. Bucholz was a pilot then and needed to land a plane on Long Island at night in the storms aftermath.
It was disorienting because all the lights were out. I had no sense of anything. Everything youd normally look for is gone, Bucholz said. I hope thats not the case here.
How are you preparing for Hurricane Irene? Tell us in the comments below. And once the storm hits, send pictures to gcanuel@thedailyfairfield.com.
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