There are already some preparations being made along Connecticut's shoreline in the event that a strong storm moves in that direction in the coming days. On Tuesday evening, the Old Saybrook Fire Department was busy preparing for the emergency calls that may come in if the weather takes a turn for the worse.
What was supposed to be a typical night of training, turned into an impromptu storm preparation session.
“It’s uncertain what the forecast is going to be but we are going to be ready for it," said Fire Chief Jay Rankin, who knows that the weather can get very rough on the shoreline. “In this town, we deal with substantial flooding," said Rankin. "And due to the fact that we haven’t had rain in so long, we know that the ground isn’t going to impact the water.”
During 'Superstorm' Sandy in 2012, Old Saybrook dealt with flooding, fires and stranded residents, which provided the ultimate real-life lesson about the importance of preparation. On Tuesday, dozens of the department's firefighters tested just about every piece of equipment they have to make sure they are prepared no matter what the weather situation may be.
“We’re running all the saws, running all the pumps. We’re going through every trauma kit," said Chief Rankin.
Rankin said that residents in Old Saybrook and beyond should being thinking about preparing as well, by picking up food, water, batteries and other supplies that might be needed if a storm packing a punch moves through.
“We’re always at the ready. We always have our equipment ready," said Chief Rankin. "That’s how the fire department operates.”
In addition to closely monitoring the forecast, the Old Saybrook Fire department is also planning for potentially adjusting its staffing levels to be able to respond if and when they do have to deal with rough weather.
