"Stamford RESIDENTS & Their PETS Saturday UPDATE For Hurricane Irene: Shelter(s), Preparation, Assistance & Warnings For You" By Reverend Barbara Sexton "The Biblical Biochemist-Where Science Meets the Cross"

 

courtesy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stamford,_Connecticut

 Dear Ones:
     Today, Mayor Michael Pavia has declared a 'state of emergency' for Stamford, CT:
"Mayor Michael Pavia is declaring a state of emergency effective at 8:00 a.m. Saturday
August 27th, 2011. This state of emergency will be in effect until further notice. The City recommends that residents in low-lying areas evacuate and seek shelter on higher ground. Evacuation should be complete by no later than 7:00 p.m. on Saturday August 27th. To determine if your home will likely be affected please review the maps included in
this briefing. Residents should make arrangements with family, friends or other accommodations immediately. If none of those options are available, the City is opening a shelter at Stamford High School on 55 Strawberry Hill Avenue at 5:00 PM. We are prepared to open additional shelters if necessary. Emergency workers at Stamford High School will direct evacuees to additional shelters if necessary.  Shelters are pet-friendly, but all animals must be crated. Please bring food and any medicines for your animals to the shelters. Please bring food and any medicines for your animals to the shelters. The Mayor has temporarily suspended all parking meter rules beginning at 12:00 p.m. today so that residents in low-lying areas with multiple vehicles can move their vehicles to higher ground. All city parking garages are open and free. Please routinely check you local news outlets for up to date information. The City will issue further information as it becomes available on its website and via Twitter, WSTC -1400AM and News 12 CT.
For further information on storm preparedness visit the American Red Cross website www.redcross.org , and the federal government www.ready.gov for pointers on personal readiness. During the emergency the City will use the Reverse 911 system to send a recorded message to each resident that has a published number.
EMERGENCY HELPLINES – UTILITIES 
Aquarion Water Company 1-800-732-9678 
Northeast Utilities (203) 386-2000
Yankee Gas 1-800989-0900
LOCAL NON-EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
City of Stamford Citizen Services (203) 977-8840
City of Stamford Police Department non-emergency (203)-977-4444
Stamford Hospital (203) 279-1000
Connecticut Poison Control 1-800-222-1222
STAMFORD GOVERNMENT CENTER
888 WASHINGTON BOULEVARD
P.O. BOX 10152
STAMFORD, CT 06904-2152
Phone: (203) 977-4150
FAX: (203) 977-5845
Email: mpavia@ci.stamford.ct.us
Mayor
MICHAEL A. PAVIA"

Read Mayor's Press Release Here: 

LINK: www.cityofstamford.org/filestorage/25/50/IrenePosting_Update.pdf/

      We are blessed to have 'shelter arrangements' in Stamford that will allow our beloved companion animals to be with us when the 'worst' hits.

     May I remind you that many shelters across the country do NOT allow pets into (human) emergency shelters, leaving their poor owners to either abandon them or to risk 'life and limb' in order to stay with their animals!

     In any case, if you find that you WILL need to evacuate your residence, please do so in a timely manner and do it sooner-than-later, in order to avoid very dangerous driving conditons.

     Don't forget that we will likely encounter downed trees and powerlines, dangerous winds and flying projectiles and flooding, as well as fellow travelers in distress if we wait too long to seek the safety of one of Stamford's emergency shelters.

     So, please be responsible and act wisely and decisively.  As we all monitor the 'news' today, of course we pray for those who deliberately put themselves in peril saving others.

     Please, dear God, put your Protective Hands over those who put themselves at great risk in service to others, as they travel to and fro, on missions of assistance and rescue.

     Please, Lord, watch over all of us who will be affected by the power of this storm, that we be not afraid, but safe and secure under You.

     We pray these things in our individual traditions, which for Christians is in the Name of The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.

AMEN. 

     And one more thing: I am truly surprised by some of the comments being made about Stamford's city public safety director Bobby Valentine 'being out of town'.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Valentine-out-of-town-during-Hurricane-Irene-2143505.php
http://www.sbnation.com/2011/8/27/2388012/hurricane-irene-bobby-valentine-public-safety-director  
     In this day and age of computer and smart-phone communication, 'mileage' is often irrelevant.  Are people complaining because they wish Bobby Valentine to 'be here to share the experience'?
     Exactly what will that accomplish, considering all emergency personnel know what their roles are and are on 'alert' and ready to roll?

     In fact, 'emergency preparations and training' are done WELL in advance of any actual emergencies.  

     And when an actual emergency is imminent, a more emergent time schedule is developed and news disseminated as in the 'news release' above.

     You can believe that busy Bobby has been putting in his fair share of work.  I'd think that Stamford would be THANKFUL to have someone like Bobby who is essentially a well-qualified VOLUNTEER (who has saved the city around 100K, to boot!)

     I call his willingness to serve 'REALLY stepping up to the plate'!

     But...."no good deed will go unpunished" and Bobby V. is being 'blessed' by those who are griping about him at this time.

     Emergencies/deaths/funerals/grave illnesses ALWAYS bring out both the very BEST and the very WORST in each and every one of us, every single time...no doubt about it.
God Bless Us All
Reverend Barbara Sexton

"The Biblical Biochemist-Where Science Meets the Cross"

www.DearOnesHealingMinistry.blogspot.com/

Member Medical Reserve Corps.