4:30 p.m. Storm Update From Mayor Finch:
“We are making every attempt to open as many City schools as possible on Wednesday, Oct. 31. We are currently assessing power availability and traffic safety issues on a school by school basis. While UI has stated that they are working on restoring power as quickly as possible, as of this time, power is not on at most of our schools.
As for our four schools that are currently being used as emergency shelters, we will be closing as many of these as we can as residents return to their homes, except for those residents who are in dire need of shelter.
“Returning children to school as soon as possible is a top priority,” said Mayor Bill Finch. “Public safety and the safety of our school children, is always paramount.”
Updated information about school openings will be made before 9 p.m. tonight via the Board of Education school email system and on www.bridgeportedu.com.
On Monday morning, Mayor Bill Finch announced that the City of Bridgeport’s Hurricane Sandy efforts were currently transitioning from evacuation and rescue phase to restoration and recovery, and that there were no major incidents to report.
“Mother Nature gave us a storm unlike any we’ve ever seen, but thanks to our preparation, collaboration and most importantly, the cooperation of our residents, we were able to make it through Sandy without any loss of life that we know of or any major incidents,” said Mayor Bill Finch.
As of 11 a.m. on Tuesday, approximately 40,000 United Illuminating customers in Bridgeport were without power. On Monday evening, UI officials made the decision to shut down three of their substations in the city due to the catastrophic flood levels caused by Monday midnight high tide in Bridgeport Harbor.
On Tuesday, James P. Torgerson, United Illuminating President and Chief Executive Officer visited the Bridgeport Emergency Operations Center to provide an update on the power outages in Bridgeport.
In anticipation of the storm, Mayor Finch issued a mandatory evacuation order for residents living in coastal, flood-prone areas. Thousands of residents evacuated in advance of the storm, either joining friends or family living on higher ground, or seeking refuge in the four shelters opened by the City at local schools. As of Monday evening, nearly 800 people, and 30 pets, were utilizing City shelters.
Early Tuesday morning, City public works crews were out across the city clearing roads of downed trees and debris. During this time, Mayor Finch advises all residents to stay off of the roads, especially those that were still flooded.
Storm Sandy statistics:
· The EOC has received over 400 storm-related calls.
· Nearly 800 residents are currently in the City’s four shelters at this time; thousands of residents heeded the evacuation order.
· Nearly 100 calls relating to trees and wires down.
· 5 tree cutting crews are out all over the city, working with UI to clear downed trees and wires.
· Several areas of the City still have roads that are closed because of flooding.
· The National Guard and Bridgeport Police Department are manning checkpoints in the South End, Black Rock, West End and the East Side/East End to assist the Bridgeport Police department and ensure public safety by helping to keep people out of these areas.
Rep. Himes and Mayor Finch need to drive to Seaside Village and see the damage there. There are 257 units and ALL of them are flooded, trees are down, no power, the same thing a lot of people are dealing with but where is FEMA? We don’t need people carrying rifles and directing traffic, we need help. President Obama has already okayed the money to assist Connecticut, so where is the help?
So when will power be back???
The power coming on will be great but not for those in Seaside Village because all the basements have between 5 to 6 FEET of water in them, the water is over the electrical power box. I opened my basement door and took two steps and there was the water, I put on my old fire dept. boots and took three more steps and the water was over my waist, I didn’t go any further.