Riverhead Preps as Irene Makes Way up Atlantic Coast

With current computer models showing , Riverhead Police Chief David Hegermiller said Thursday that the Red Cross has already arranged to open shelters, if they’re needed, at the high school and middle school on Harrison Avenue.

He said that, if needed, a third shelter would be opened at The Henry Pfiefer Community Center on River Road in Calverton at the entrance to the former Grumman compound, now called Enterprise Park at Calverton.

He emphasize that no pets, other than service animals, would be allowed in the shelters but that the county will most likely open a shelter in Yaphank that will accept both people and pets.

“But one thing people should know,” Hegermiller said, “is that you really don’t want to stay in a shelter if you can avoid it.”

He advised residents of low-lying areas of town to make plans in advance to stay with family or friends in a safer area.

Hegermiller also said that his department has the ability to execute what he described as “reverse 911” phone calls should mandatory or recommended evacuations become appropriate.

The calls, he said, would be targeted to vulnerable areas, with each home in a particular section of town receiving a robo-phone call with a recorded message advising them on what they should do.

Hegermiller advised residents to follow the three “p's” of emergency preparedness – pack, plan and pay attention, noting that continuously updated advisories will be carried on the town’s website, Riverheadli.com, under the heading, Emergency Preparedness on the left-hand side of the home page.

Supervisor Sean Walter said he has arranged for the Riverhead Central School District to provide buses and drivers should it become necessary to evacuate mobile home parks.

Walter cautioned that should people be unwilling to evacuate, there may come a time during the storm when conditions will make it impossible for fire and emergency units to reach their homes.

He warned residents with boats to take them out of the water, calling it a “huge mistake to leave you boat in any of our marinas,” including, he said, the town-owned docking facility at East Creek.

Hegermiller said that storm surges could be particularly severe in low-lying areas because the hurricane will hit during a new moon, which alone creates higher tides regardless of wind conditions.

Councilman George Gabrielsen, a farmer himself, warned that local farmers could lose millions of dollars if Irene becomes as severe as presently predicted.

“Sustained winds of 60 miles and above will flatten every corn field,” he said. He added that for vineyards, the damage could be equally costly since grapes have ripened but have not yet been picked.

Walter said the town would be periodically issuing update public service announcements, which will be carried by local news outlets. He also said that town-run Channel 22 will also carry updated announcements.

On the county level, a map of emergency shelters provided by the county can be found on its website. According to the website, media will be informed which shelters are open at what times.

The county's Office of Emergency Services coordinates and operates the emergency operations center in Yaphank in the event of an emergency. The shelter serves as a central location for services such as fire, police, utilities, health services, and other vital programs. County Executive Steve Levy and others found themselves there on Tuesday after Suffolk felt the results of a magnitude 5.8 earthquake.

Levy's office did not immediately return a request for comment.

The OEM offers the following tips to prepare before a hurricane, these tips to follow during a hurricane, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency offers these pointers for recovering.