As Hurricane Earl took aim last night at North Carolina's Outer Banks, emergency management officials in the Merrimack Valley were preparing for any number of scenarios Earl might produce today.
The storm's winds were slowing, from 140 mph early yesterday to 110 mph, Category 2 strength, by 8 p.m. But forecasters warned that it remained powerful, with hurricane-force winds of 74 mph or more extending 70 miles from its center and tropical storm-force winds of at least 35 mph reaching more than 200 miles out.
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm's arrival, saying the declaration would allow officials to respond quickly. He also urged people living in low-lying areas prone to flooding to consider leaving their homes by this afternoon.
Earl's arrival could mark the start of at least 24 hours of stormy, windy weather along the East Coast. During its march up the Atlantic, it could snarl travelers' Labor Day weekend plans and strike a second blow to the vacation homes and cottages on Long Island, Nantucket Island and Cape Cod.
It was unclear exactly how close Earl's center and its strongest winds would get to land. But Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Craig Fugate said people shouldn't wait for the next forecast to act.
The good news is there's not expected to be any significant storm surge, said Charlie Foley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
"The main impact would be high surf, dangerous rips, heavy rain and wind," he said.
If Earl spares the Merrimack Valley and causes severe problems in other parts of New England, volunteers from Merrimack Valley communities are ready to respond.
"If there's a need or a call to duty, believe me, they will step up to the plate," said Jeffrey Coco, North Andover's emergency management director. The town has more than 20 volunteers at the ready, Coco said.
Because local emergency management crews belong to the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a national mutual aid organization, those volunteers could be dispatched to Cape Cod if needed.
The type of assistance is often more than just extra hands and muscle. For instance, North Andover has an emergency response vehicle with computers and special communications equipment that can obtain telephone service when phone systems go down.
Firefighters and fire apparatus are ready to head to Cape Cod or other parts of the state hard-hit by the hurricane if the need arises, said Lawrence's acting fire Chief Brian Murphy.
"We'd go down there with other departments in a convoy situation, depending upon what the need is," Murphy said.
"Whatever is required, based on the need, we have a plan in place. If they call for a task force for heavy rescue, we have our rescue truck and would staff it with personnel," he said.
A tradition of assistance
Providing mutual aid is standard procedure for Massachusetts communities during disasters. Methuen Emergency Management Director John Santoro said helpers from Brookline came to this area during the ice storm of 2008. The efforts are under the direction of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, he said.
Lawrence's Murphy was one of hundreds of emergency responders around the state who participated in several conference calls yesterday with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, including an hourlong call just after noon that was joined by the governor.
After the call, Murphy began coordinating the local response at a meeting with officials from several city agencies and the schools, which would open shelters. He also expressed concern that recent layoffs might cause police and firefighters to prioritize calls for help.
Ready in Methuen
Methuen's community emergency response team — a group of 28 civilian volunteers who staff shelters, help evacuate residents, help during search and rescue missions, and manage traffic and crowds — is on standby.
Meanwhile, Lawrence officials are preparing to respond to the worst-case scenario. A pre-storm meeting was set for 9 this morning at the Central fire station for a briefing based on the latest weather reports.
The city has several schools designated as emergency shelters should parts of the city flood.
The good news is that the hot and dry summer has left the ground ready to absorb a soaking, so the 2 to 4 inches expected for most of the Merrimack Valley should not be enough to push the Merrimack, Shawsheen or Spicket rivers to overflow their banks, Murphy said.
Methuen officials are ready to open an emergency operation center if needed, Santoro said.
Santoro said he took a call from a couple in their 80s who are concerned because they rely on oxygen tanks to survive.
He filled out a special assistance registration form for them so officials will know to check on them if the storm paralyzes the city.
Anyone who needs to fill out a special assistance registration form can call the Health Department at 978-983-8655.
Coco said all of North Andover's emergency management crews are on standby as well, and police and firefighters are ready to close roads, if needed, and have generators and pumps on hand.
Officials are prepared to open a regional shelter if needed, Coco said.
On Nantucket Island, which is expected to take a bigger hit than the Merrimack Valley, officials planned to set up a shelter at a high school today.
Boats were being pulled from the water all along the Northeast coast, and lobstermen in Maine set their traps in deeper water to protect them.
Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri also declared a state of emergency.
Similar declarations have also been made in North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland.
In anticipation of the storm, the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals evacuated animals from its adoption center in Centerville on Cape Cod to facilities in Boston and Methuen last night, said Brian Adams, MSPCA-Angell spokesman.
Wait-and-see in Andover
In Andover, town crews cleared gutters and storm drains, but otherwise the alert appeared less urgent.
"We're not taking any additional steps now other than to monitor the situation and respond as necessary," police Lt. James Hashem said.
"We're not putting any additional people on. We're not staging equipment. If the storm moves further west, obviously that would change."
While he is not yet sure how the hurricane will impact the area, Groveland police Chief Robert Kirmelewicz said he is carefully watching the storm as it moves up the coast.
Officers throughout the department have been notified that they can expect to be called in to work if the hurricane takes a path toward the Valley, Kirmelewicz said.
Although the hurricane's wrath isn't expected to be as serious in Southern New Hampshire, Derry is prepared for the worst, according to fire Chief George Klauber.
"What the fear is you don't want to downplay the storm," he said yesterday afternoon. Klauber and other town emergency management officials, including Battalion Chief and Chief of Operations Mike Gagnon, have been closely monitoring the hurricane to make sure the town is ready to respond.
"We're all storm watchers today," he said.
The more serious of the two storm models they have been following would bring 50 to 60 mph winds to the area along with heavy rain.
"If it starts to get heavy by tomorrow morning, we can ramp up to what we need," he said.
At the very least, 2,000 sandbags and the town's generators are ready at a moment's notice, Klauber said, noting the town could be hit with power outages and flooding in some areas, especially near Big Island Pond.
The town also has posted a notice on its website asking residents to make sure they have extra batteries, flashlights and a battery-operated radio, and to "plan to be self-sufficient for up to 72 hours."
They also are asked to check on their neighbors and to call 603-432-6121 for further assistance.
Southern New Hampshire residents should also tune in to radio station 1610 AM for the latest storm updates, Klauber said.
In some of Southern New Hampshire's other large communities such as Salem and Londonderry, emergency management officials said they are ready to take whatever action is needed.
Salem fire Chief Kevin Breen has said residents and business owners also need to be prepared before the storm hits or else "you end up at the grocery store and can't find any bottled water."
He advises everyone to get a copy of "Are You Ready," which is published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and is available on its website.
In Londonderry, fire Capt. Fred Heinrich said the town spent some time yesterday making sure its generators and water pumps were in working order in case of power outages and flooding. Sandbags are also ready, he said.
While they were carefully monitoring the storm, Heinrich said it probably won't be until this morning that emergency management officials can truly gauge how hard it will hit the area.
"From there, we will either ramp up or stay at a state of awareness," he said.
A similar approach is being taken in other Southern New Hampshire communities, including Sandown.
Although Sandown and other small, surrounding towns don't have the resources of their larger neighbors, they are ready to respond.
Some, such as Plaistow, have posted advisories on their websites.
Like Londonderry, Sandown fire Chief Bill Tapley said they are prepared for the worst but won't have a better idea of the storm's severity until this morning. During past storms, including the infamous ice storm in December 2008, Sandown was particularly hit hard, with many losing electricity for 12 or 13 days, he said.
But with so many serious storms in recent years, area residents have learned to be better prepared, Tapley said.
"A lot more people are getting generators," he said.
Reporters J.J. Huggins, Keith Eddings, Doug Ireland, Dustin Luca and Mark E. Vogler contributed to this report. Material from the Associated Press was also used in this report.
• • •
Join the discussion. To comment on stories and see what others are saying, log on to eagletribune.com.
