Tropical Storm Henri Is on the Move. Make Sure You’re Prepared
New England is on high alert for the upcoming Tropical Storm Henri, which is expected to hit us this weekend. Based on the latest models, Connecticut will expect the storm to be at its peak around Sunday night.
Jon Porter, the Chief Meteorologist for AccuWeather, said “This is the most serious hurricane risk in New England in 30 years, since Hurricane Bob in 1991,” and that we will need to contend with both rainfall and storm surges. Though Henri is “only” a tropical storm now, meteorologists expect it to strengthen into a hurricane by the time it reaches us.
At Barry, Barall, Taylor & Levesque, LLC, we want everyone to be as safe as possible during this potentially devastating storm. The Red Cross Hurricane Safety Checklist (which you can download for free) suggests you have at least the following on hand:
- Flashlights and batteries
- 3 days’ worth of food and water, as well as personal hygiene and baby supplies
- First aid kits/supplies
- Emergency blankets
- Extra cash
- Insect repellant
- Rain gear
- Tape for your windows
- Pet carriers and food
They also suggest – and we could not agree more – that you keep copies of important documents (like mortgages, passports, insurance policies and birth certificates) in a safe. We recommend that you put them in waterproof plastic before putting them in a safe, or wherever you store your valuables.
The National Hurricane Center will have up-to-date information about the storm. Access that information here.
Important note for generator users
If you lose power and are relying on a generator, do not put the generator in the house. People die every single year from CO poisoning related to generators. Do not keep the machine in your home, in your garage, or near open windows. Instead, move it as far from the house as you can to ensure that you are safe.
Resources for Connecticut families in a hurricane
Aside from the Red Cross safety checklist, the State of Connecticut offers a free, downloadable brochure to help you prepare for a hurricane and to deal with the aftermath of a damaging storm. If you cannot print the brochure, we suggest taking screen shots of the most important pages so they will be saved on your phone, in the event that the Internet keeps you from accessing the page.
If you are hurt, injured, or otherwise in need of help:
- Dial 9-1-1 for emergencies only. Call your local police for other inquiries, so as not to tie up the emergency line.
- Contact local chapters of the Red Cross. There are six locations for the Red Cross in Connecticut. Find your local chapter here.
- Check out your OEM. Most cities have Offices of Emergency Management that can help after a disaster. Go here for information about Manchester’s OEM. Go here for information about Hartford’s Emergency Management. Go here for information about Disaster Recovery in Connecticut.
Stay safe out there, everyone.
Sincerely,
Ryan Barry, Maria Barall, and Anthony Spinella
Maria C Barall assists clients in family law and custody, residential and commercial real estate, foreclosure litigation, estate planning and probate administration. Now in her 20th year of legal practice, she is regularly appointed by the courts as Guardian ad Litem (GAL) and Attorney for Minor Child (AMC). Learn more.