November 30, 2011

POST ALFRED: LESSONS LEARNED

Now that the dust has settled from the October Nor’easter, it is time to review how our response to serious storms could be improved. I felt our town did an outstanding job of keeping our citizens safe, in spite of the obstacles both Mother Nature and CL&P threw at us. However, as a believer in continuous quality improvement, I know there are always opportunities to enhance any process.

Mary Glassman and I are teaming up to seek public input—we’d like to hear from you about what worked well and what you wish we’d done differently. There will be a public meeting on Thursday, December 15th for Simsbury residents to share their thoughts and suggestions. The meeting will be at Eno Memorial Hall at 7:00 p.m. Alternatively, you can provide feedback on line by taking the survey on the town's website: www.town.simsbury.ct.us.

Certainly one area Mary and I have already discussed is how to communicate more effectively with the public. We tried using every channel we could; from my daily emails, to the town’s twitter feed and website, to reverse 911 calls. We also tried to get information out to the media, but they understandably cannot give detailed information about every single town. 

We have ideas about message boards for street corners and call-in number for Simsbury-specific information recordings. We also want to urge all residents to sign up for reverse 911 calls to your cell phones and work phones, in the event our local landlines are down. You can sign up at www.ctalert.gov.

Because there are already state level reviews underway, I have submitted preliminary comments to the investigators regarding CL&P, the telecommunications companies, and issues caused by state laws. You can view these by going to my website at  If you have additional suggestions to add, I can submit them to the investigative committees as well.

Meanwhile, I urge you to review your own preparedness for emergencies and take appropriate steps. These include:

Line up your communication sources:

1. Have a battery radio on hand and batteries. Simsbury uses WTIC (1080AM) for announcements.
2. Register your cell phone and email address with the state Department of Emergency Management Services at www.ctalert.gov. That way, even if your home phone is not working, you can get “reverse 911” calls that give you information about services available.
3. Sign up for my e-newsletters at www.housedems.ct.gov/schofield. Many people said they appreciated the daily emails I sent out during the power outage, with information about the shelter, school closings, debris removal, CL&P’s status, etc. I do also send out email newsletters throughout the year on various topics, so do be aware this is not only an emergency communication channel.
4. Put the town’s website (www.town.simsbury.ct.us) in your list of “favorites” on your compute—there’s always lots of information there. And consider following the town on Twitter at townofsimsbury. The town sent tweets during the outage.

For people with medical issues, especially if you need electricity-dependent medical equipment:

1. Notify CL&P at 1-800-286-2000 if you or a member of your household is dependent on electrical medical equipment. CL&P will alert you to impending electrical interruptions.
2. Notify the Simsbury social services department (860-658-3283), if you or someone in your home is frail. That way the town can send someone to check on you in the event of a disaster.
3.  Have a back-up plan of folks you can stay with or a generator. Certainly have a buddy system with someone, so that you check on each other. 

Properly maintain and connect your generator:
Generators need maintenance once or twice a year even when they are not being used. And while in use, they need daily maintenance. Make sure you follow all of the manufacturer’s directions regarding maintenance requirements, so it will be ready next time you need it. Now is a good time to have an electrician check on your generator’s wiring to make sure it is legally and safely wired, and to assure that it is properly ventilated. There were many cases of carbon monoxide poisoning from poorly vented generators. Improperly wired generators can back-feed into the transmission wires, jeopardizing anyone who touches a downed wire.

Collect necessary supplies:

1. For folks on wells, make sure you have some 5 gallon containers you can fill with drinking water. Also be sure you have a leak-proof drain plug for your tub, so you can fill that too.
2. Have a supply of batteries, flashlights, candles, lamp oil and oil lamps.
3. Camping stores sell head lamps—coal miner style so you can have both hands free.

Fill up your gas tank the day before a storm!

We may not all have taken these precautions prior to Irene or Alfred. But, now, with lessons learned, let’s make sure we’re ready for the next time.