Saturday, August 27, 2011

Hurricane Irene: Greater New Haven towns set up emergency shelters

A number of Greater New Haven communities have set up emergency shelters, if needed, in advance of Hurricane Irene. Here's a rundown:

ANSONIA

Ansonia High School, 20 Pulaski Highway, is a designated area for emergency shelter if needed. If it is used, only service animals will be allowed in the building. In the event people are evacuated, pets would be sheltered at John C. Mead Elementary School. Both schools are in the city’s Hilltop section.

BRANFORD

Shelter will open at Mary T. Murphy School, 14 Brushy Plain Road., the only large municipal building that is outside areas that could flood in a category 1-4 hurricane, and Branford High School, 185 East Main St. Separate areas will be available within the schools for Branford and North Branford residents with pets. Pets should be in a kennel, cage or carrier and owners should bring food for their pets.

CHESHIRE

The town’s primary shelter will be at the Cheshire Senior Center, which is located at 240 Maple Ave. Town Manager Michael Milone said the shelter will open at 7 a.m. on Sunday. If the number of people seeking shelter is great enough, Milone said a second shelter will open at Cheshire High School. The emergency shelters will not be providing food so Milone encouraged residents to bring their own food as well as any medications they might need. The Senior Center’s bus will be available for emergency transportation only, Milone said.

DERBY

Temporary shelters will be set up at the Derby Middle School, 10 Nutmeg Ave., and at Bradley School, 155 David Humphreys Road, Derby. If you are ordered to evacuate by emergency personnel, these shelters will accommodate people until it is safe to transport them to a state shelter. If you have pets and you are evacuated, please make sure that you have a crate and an adequate amount of food for at least a day with you. As of Friday, the only voluntary evacuation area is the McConney Grove area, as it is expected that there will be a major impact due to the Housatonic River as a result of the storm.

EAST HAVEN

A shelter and designated evacuation area is being set up at East Haven High School on Wheelbarrow Lane off Route 80. Officials are taking “precautionary steps” to set it up, but no time has been set for when it might open. The shelter will have designated areas for people with pets. Pets should be in a kennel or carrier. East Haven also will have two buses available if needed to help with any evacuation efforts.

GUILFORD

A shelter will first be operating out of the Nathanael B. Greene Community Center on Church Street near the Green starting at noon Saturday. The facility is prepared to accommodate 180 people for up to three days. When it becomes full, Guilford High School will open as a secondary shelter. Community center cooks will be on hand, and bus drivers will be available to help bring people to the shelters. People can bring pets in cages, but they will probably be put in another area or at the center’s loading dock.

HAMDEN

Hamden High School, 2040 Dixwell Ave., is opening at 7 p.m. Saturday as an emergency shelter. People should bring basic supplies and toiletries, medications, non-perishable foods and a change of clothing. Cats and dogs allowed in carriers with their own food.

MADISON

The town will open a shelter at the town gym, located on Campus Drive, around noon on Saturday. Residents are urged to bring blankets and pillows to the shelter, as well as toiletries and towels, because there are showers at the gym. Water and snacks will be offered. Those using the shelter can bring pets as long as they are on leashes or in cages.

MILFORD

A shelter is set to open Saturday at 6 p.m. at Jonathan Law High School, but officials are recommending that anyone with special medical needs stay at the home of a family member or friend.

NEW HAVEN

The city will have two emergency shelters open starting Saturday. Benjamin Jepson School, 15 Lexington Ave., will open as a shelter noon. The James Hillhouse High School Field House, 480 Sherman Parkway, will open as a shelter at 6:00 p.m. Crated pets will be allowed in city shelters.

NORTH BRANFORD

North Branford Intermediate School at 654 Foxon Road will open at 6 p.m. Saturday as a shelter and house people first in the cafeteria and gym. Residents with medical conditions or senior citizens are encouraged to seek private shelter with friends and family. Residents with pets will be directed to the Branford shelter at Mary T. Murphy School, 14 Brushy Plain Road. Anyone who wants to volunteer for the effort is also welcome.

NORTH HAVEN

A shelter will open at North Haven High School, 221 Elm Street Ext., at 6 p.m. Saturday. Residents in areas prone to flooding are urged to use it. About 60 cots will be available for use and people are encouraged to bring blankets and pillows if they use the shelter. People can bring food; there will be water, juice and snacks. People may bring pets in cages but must bring their leashes and food.

OLD SAYBROOK

Old Saybrook Senior High School, 1111 Boston Post Road, will open as the town’s emergency shelter at 10 a.m. Saturday morning. Officials ask that residents make arrangements for their pets, rather than bringing them to the shelter, since some people may be allergic.

SEYMOUR

If needed, Seymour Middle School on Mountain Road will be used as an emergency shelter, especially in the event of any evacuations.

SHELTON

Shelton High School on Meadow Street will be a temporary shelter, as needed. Pets must be in a kennel or cage.

As of Friday evening, officials were asking for a voluntary evacuation of residents of the Maples and the Birchbank areas, and any other areas that have experienced flooding in the past.

WALLINGFORD

Sheehan High School, which is located at 142 Hope Hill Road, has been designated at the town’s emergency shelter. But as of Friday evening, town officials had not decided if or when the shelter would open.

WESTBROOK

Daisy Ingraham School, 105 Goodspeed Drive, will be used as a shelter starting at 8 p.m. Saturday. Snacks, water, cots and blankets will be available. People are urged to bring the bare necessities but can bring pets if they are crated. Those who use the shelter at the school should park in the Middle/ High School parking lot.

WEST HAVEN

The city will announce its shelter location at 10 a.m. Saturday with a reverse 911 call to homeowners. It is expected to be at Carrigan Middle School, Tetlow Street.


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