Carroll County Encourages Preparation in Advance of Hurricane Sandy

County officials are stressing preparation in advance of the anticipated arrival of Hurricane Sandy.

Carroll County's emergency management personnel are urging residents to prepare for flash floods, high winds and widespread power outages that could come from Hurricane Sandy starting Sunday night and lasting into Tuesday.

Sandy made its first landfall in Jamaica on Wednesday. The hurricane intensified into a Category 2 and made a second landfall in eastern Cuba on Wednesday night.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a flood watch for much of Maryland from Sunday evening into Tuesday morning. 

As of noon on Saturday, the National Hurricane Center forecasts Hurricane Sandy to track to the North-Northeast to a position well off the North Carolina coast Sunday night before shifting to the Northwest and moving towards the Southern New Jersey and Delaware coasts Monday into Tuesday. According to NWS the track of Sandy will bring significant impacts to the mid-Atlantic region Sunday night through Wednesday.

A complete checklist of preparations can be found on the county emergency management website.

A few tips from Carroll County Emergency Management

• Stock up on batteries for flashlights and battery operated lanterns. Using candles can pose a fire hazard risk.
• Plan for relatives who have health issues that require access to electricity and have a backup plan or alternate place to take them in the event of an extended power outage.
• Have a plan for pets, including sufficient water.
• Stock up on water. The minimum is one gallon per person per day for three to five days. Count each pet as a person.
• If you have a generator, make sure to use it outside the home, at least 15 feet from the building.
• Clean out gutters, clogged gutters could impede the flow of water causing flooding.
• Secure outdoor items that could cause damage of blown in high winds (lawn furniture, etc...)
• Keep tabs on the storm and government related information through the county's emergency management Facebook page or the county's Twitter account.

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