Covering Wolcott's Woods and Crannies!
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Maj. Sean Cross (left) and Lt. Cmdr Robert Harder (r) fly a Hurricane Hunter (Lt. Cmdr Mark Stevens (rear) navigates.
If you are accustomed to the comfort of commercial air travel, you might think the accommodations are a bit spartan on board the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron’s C-130.
Benches with webbed backrests make up the majority of the available seating. The crew says visiting news media were lucky there was a toilet on board, and the privacy curtain was an added bonus.
President Obama has officially recognized the emergency status of the State of Connecticut and therefore has ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response to Hurricane Irene, beginning on the date of Aug. 26.
The President’s action authorizes…
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If you’re a high school student who’s enjoying the summer, you can sleep in tomorrow. Classes at Wolcott High School are cancelled.
If not – wake up early – its time to go back to school! All elementary schools and Tyrrell Middle School will be opening on time Wednesday.
The first day of school is Wednesday, but Wolcott High School students may get one more summer day off. Wolcott School superintendent Joseph Macary has informed the Whisper that power has been out since Hurricane Irene rolled through Connecticut. “We know where the tree branch came down, but it’s just a matter of CL&P of fixing it.” Macary says that a determination of whether or not to open school will be made closer to the opening period tomorrow morning, as the electricity could be restored at almost any time.
Classes will start at the other four town schools on schedule. “We’ve had no other problems other than some
The Old Tannery Brook flooded Nutmeg Valley Rd. after the storm
By Joe Ouimet
Three shepherd mix puppies that could fit in your pocket were scurrying around the intersection of Garrigus Court and Meriden Road. Cars and trucks traveling their usual routes had no idea what was so close to their tires. Erica Hellman did notice them and took action to save the three puppies. She began the long road of rescue for Erika, Jacoby, and Drew (the brown and black puppies.)
The first night the three puppies had no issues, they played hard, ate well, and slept sound. Around 10am the next morning things took a turn for the worse. Little Jacoby began to have violent seizures and the other two weren’t playing anymore. Animal Control was called and they were immediately brought to Dr. Jeff Miller at the Wolcott Vet who dropped everything and began lifesaving work.
Here’s a guide to important numbers and websites to assist with Hurricane cleanup:
This list is being updated continuously…
Wolcott has opened a Commmunity Hurricane Center at the Senior Center. Any resident experiencing power outages is invited to enjoy a hot sandwich, TV, check into the internet. If a resident needs transportation to the Center, please call Darlene Tynan at 879-8100 or the Center at 879-8133.
Non-Emergency Calls: 879-1414
This includes cellar pump-outs of more than a few inches of water. The fire department can assist if the water is approaching electrical outlets or furnaces.
CL&P Power Outages: 1-800-286-2000
You must report your own outage, unless it has already been reported by emergency officials. Be patient. To view current outages in Wolcott and across the state click HERE
Wolcott Public Works – (203) 879-8140
Report any road or drainage issues on municipal property. This includes any trees or tree limbs which may endanger motorists. They cannot assist with trees firmly on private property.
Limb and debris removal Storm debris will be accepted at the dump behind Frisbie School on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Small limbs (cut up to less than 3 feet in length) can be left at curbside and they will be disposed of. Any business that has storm debris should contact Town Hall for arrangements. (203) 879-8100
To view Geoff Fox’s 2 pm weather forecast, click here.
Rain is done.
Wind is done. (except in Eastern CT)
Rivers are rising.
Perhaps I overstated the wind impact in my last update. At least we were prepared. Now the cleanup begins.
We’re not out of the woods yet.
In fact, the storm isn’t even halfway done. After a night of heavy rains, and a few hours of gusty winds around 30-40 mph, the morning doesn’t appear too bad out there, but Town and State officials are warning residents to stay home. All over town, debris and small tree branches have fallen onto roadways and power lines. Police, fire, and public works crews are patrolling the town while they can before the brunt of the winds are expected to pick up over the next few hours.
Corn Blown Over in Brookdale St. Garden
Trees are reported to be leaning out of the ground at a greater angle than usual. The adjacent picture explains it all. This corn garden at the rear
We’d love to give a report of what happened throughout the day today, but time won’t allow it for now. If internet is available, we may be in touch again. If not… well that’s why!
Cumberland Farms ran out of gas at about 1 pm, however recieved another shipment at 7:30 pm tonight. All other gas stations report adequate supplies of fuel as of late Saturday. Water is still in stock in most retail locations with plenty of supplies. A stock of C and D batteries was still in supply at Wolcott Rd’s Rite Aid, but no supplies existed anywhere else mid day Saturday. Those supplies are expected to have run out by lclose of Saturday.
On Sunday morning, Wolcott will open its emergency operations center at 8 am. Mayor Dunn says that a reverse 911 call will be made to all town residents who have landline phones or have registered for the service sometime on Sunday. CL&P is urging all residents to report outages to them as they occur so that they can make preparations to restore power once the storm passes. As of Sunday night, Darien already has 600 outages and Ridgefield about 18.
The rain is the most dangerous factor in Hurricane Irene, as the water table is already saturated from already record August rainfalls. An estimated 7-11 inches may fall in the storm and will further soften the ground around these trees, causing them to become unstable, particularly if underground streams are nearby. The wind will just be the straw that can break a tree’s back. Trees that stand alone away from other rooted vegetation are the most at risk for falling. Try to move your vehicles away from these trees and stay away from rooms that are near them.
911 service is always be available but crews will be cautioned not to travel during high winds and there could be a significant delay in reaching you. Do not approach or cross a downed power line and even if the power is out, assume the line itself could be live.
If you have any reports to help inform town officials, emergency workers, your neighbors and others, please feel free to post them here! Feel free to be humorous, pass the time, or entertain as well!
Stay safe everyone!
– Chris O’Brien.
Publisher
203-558-5817
Poll Workers Wait For Voters To Cast Their Ballots
During a rough economy, the first instinct is to tighten the financial purse strings. That is to save limited money for a rainy day and wait until better times are ahead.
Yet, during a tough economy, many bargains can be had. For instance, this is an excellent time for home buyers to both find a cut-rate deal, as well as obtain some of the best interest rates in history. The Town of Wolcott is currently in that buyer’s position due to prudent fiscal planning over the past five years. Over that period of time, the mill rate has barely changed. The town has a low debt service which is shrinking more and more because the period of time since the last bonded projects – school construction and additions, a police communications center, the senior center, and other projects- are now expiring. Bond interest rates are very low and the Town’s bond rating is high.
At the same time, the town’s pipes
The Wolcott Whisper 