Emergency Management Director Rick Fontana, joined by Mayor Dorinda Borer, right, and chief of staff Rick Spreyer, leads a hurricane readiness exercise for city and public safety officials in the Emergency Operations Center at City Hall on July 31.
Fontana, using new Promethean interactive weather map displays, provided a comprehensive update on West Haven’s readiness as the city enters the Atlantic hurricane season.
Although the season begins June 1, it is more likely that as the waters get warmer in August, the likelihood of a hurricane increases, and West Haven will ready its forces as a coastal community, Borer said.
Chiefs of West Haven’s Police Department and three fire departments participated in the hourlong training exercise, along with officials of the Department of Public Works and other city departments, including Health, Economic Development, Elderly Services, Parks and Recreation, and Youth and Family Services.
A representative of United Illuminating, the Orange-based utility, also took part.
Officials tested their readiness “to ensure that the highest level of public safety remains first and foremost,” Borer said.
To safeguard motorists from flood-prone railroad underpasses, Fontana said the city is installing “Danger Flooding” gates at the Campbell Avenue and Washington Avenue underpasses. Authorities will close the gates during rainstorms to prevent vehicles from driving through the low-lying areas, he said.
The last hurricane to hit West Haven was Gloria in September 1985. The city, however, has weathered powerful storms since then, including Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011 and Superstorm Sandy in October 2012.
When Gloria hit West Haven in 1985, we were lucky it was during low tide. Unfortunately, Irene & Sandy hit us during high tide & the damage was horrible. Beginning in September, a parade of tropical systems will be coming off Africa & crossing the Atlantic. Hopefully we will be able to dodge the bullet & the storms will miss.
We remember it all too well. We hope to dodge the bullet also!