Westwood Officials Bracing for Potential Wrath of Hurricane Earl

Westwood might not be in the direct path of Hurricane Earl, but town officials aren't letting their guard down this weekend.

Officials at the Westwood Board of Health, Town Hall, and Department of Public Works, as well as other departments including Police and Fire, said they are taking the storm seriously, and preparing as if Westwood were in the direct path of the storm.

"We don't think it really is going to have a big impact on Westwood, but we always get prepared," said Pam Dukeman, the town's finance director, who is also serving as the on-site emergency director for the storm. "It looks at this point we might have high winds and heavy rain."

Westwood's Town Administrator, Michael Jaillet is normally the town's emergency management director, but because he is currently away, Dukeman is filling in. Jaillet, however, is still in communication with Town Hall and is currently engaged in preparations for the storm, Dukeman said.

"We have an emergency management committee that involves public safety officials," Dukeman said. "It's a regular group that prepares and has plans in place, so we have that group meeting this week and tracking the storm."

A hurricane watch was in effect for Cape Cod and the Islands Thursday, as well as for Plymouth and Bristol Counties, and even parts of Norfolk County. The hurricane itself was considered a Category 4 storm Thursday evening, but is expected to decrease to a Category 2 by the time it reaches New England Friday night.

What's more, Gov. Deval Patrick issued a state of emergency for Massachusetts late Thursday afternoon in preparation for the storm.

"Mother Nature is fickle," Patrick said in a press conference held via phone from Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) headquarters Thursday. "She changes her mind often."

The Westwood Board of Health is offering a number of ways for local residents to prepare for high winds and heavy rains.

"Make sure you have your family in order in the event that there are power outages," said Westwood Health Director Linda Shea. "We're pretty far inland, but it doesn't mean that we wouldn't have high wind or flooding, so we need to get the message out there so people are prepared."

Shea added that residents should have emergency kits on hand that are filled with basic necessities, such as medicine and batteries, as well as to keep a well-stocked supply of water, soup and any food that might not need to be refrigerated or heated.

"For Westwood, I don't really think there's going to be an issue, but yes, we are preparing," Shea said.

In the event of a heightened emergency, the town utilizes the Westwood High School as an emergency shelter, Shea said. The school, however, is not open to the public as a shelter unless the town determines it's necessary, and officials will then make an announcement.

The town currently has 100 cots to be used at the shelter if needed, but more space would be made available if need be in an emergency situation, said Shea, who in 15 years working as the town's health director has never seen the shelter used in an emergency situation.

The Department of Public Works is also taking the storm seriously, said DPW Director Vicki Vickrey.

"We are taking it really seriously," Vickrey said. "It's always when you least expect it that something like this happens. We do our regular emergency preparation, in this case to make sure all our equipment is up and running."

The DPW has been working over the past few days to make sure their saws and wood chippers are ready to take care of any trees or branches that might be hazardous during high wind. The department will also have crews available on call during the storm to be ready if they are needed.

Vickrey said the town is also prepared to set up an emergency operation center in the event of power outages or another emergency, which would include radio, telephone and computer communication. The town is also checking drainage areas in town in the even flooding might occur.

"Any low-lying areas where we have had problems in the past, or flooding in the past," Vickrey said. "And there are people assigned to check those spots."

Meanwhile, a call was sent out to Westwood residents Wednesday, reminding them to prepare as necessary for high winds and rain that may come in as a result of the storm, Dukeman said. A notice was also posted on the Westwood Town Website:

Residents should always be well prepared for a major storm or possibly a hurricane.  Since New England is still in Hurricane Season, the Town would like to keep all of its residents and businesses up to date on any useful information for having your household/business prepared in the event of an emergency.

Since the news on some recent hurricanes effecting the New England area, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) has updated its website to include many useful tips and news articles to better prepare residents. 

Please visit www.mass.gov/mema for additional information.

MEMA has also released a number of preparation tips for residents within close range to the coast and Boston area.

MEMA is recommending every home and business to have a stocked basic emergency supply kit that could be used for any emergency, regardless of the situation or time of year. Each kit should be unique to each family or business, and should include a portable radio, flashlight, batteries, non-perishable foods and water.

Families should also have an emergency commnunication plan in place with a contact outside of the area to help ensure everyone is safe.