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Several scheduled events have already been canceled on Monday and Tuesday as a precaution as Hurricane Sandy makes its way up the East Coast. Last year, a snowstorm dropped 5 inches on Scarsdale, forcing village officials to effectively cancel Halloween.
Monday’s special meeting of the Scarsdale Board of Education, as well as the district’s scheduled presentation with Tony Wagner, have both been postponed. The village has requested that residents remove leaf piles from the street. Potential high winds could cause leaves to become a hazard for motorists and pedestrians, and may clog drains.
On Friday, County Executive Robert Astorino participated in a multi-municipality conference call with town officials and the Westchester Office of Emergency Management.
“All relevant county departments are preparing in case this storm seriously impacts us,” he said in a statement. “We hope we will not be severely affected by Sandy, but we must be prepared.”
FEMA and Con Edison have several tips for residents to help them prepare for the hurricane that has been dubbed “Frankenstorm.”
The agencies advise residents to obtain new batteries, as well as battery-operated radios and flashlights. Using candles as a light source is not advised for safety reasons. Vehicles should be topped off with fuel, and should never be less than half full in case gas pumps fail.
Non-perishable foods that don’t need to be cooked or refrigerated should be purchased, and airtight containers should be filled with enough water to last several days in case water supplies are interrupted or contaminated. In case of a power failure, do not open freezer doors to check if food is still frozen. Most freezers can keep food frozen up to two days.
Loose objects outside homes should be brought inside or secured, as they can become dangerous projectiles when winds pick up. It is also important to have materials ready for emergency repairs.
Residents are warned not to go near downed electrical wires, and to treat them as if they are live. Any downed wires should be reported to Con Edison and Scarsdale police officials immediately.
Check back with The Scarsdale Daily Voice for storm updates, and send any pictures from the “Frankenstorm” to zfailla@dailyvoice.com.
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