Chester Prepares for Hurricane Irene

All around Chester town, residents and officials alike are battening down the hatches in preparation for a possible “big one,” a category 2 storm with winds up to 110 MPH and substantial rainfall. In an email message to townspeople of Chester, Selectman Tom Englert* mentioned expected rainfall of 7 to 9 inches after a 9 a.m. conference call meeting of Chester’s Emergency Management Team.

“I am confident that all departments are fully prepared to the extent possible at this time. Our Emergency Operations Center is monitoring the progress of the storm as it advances northward along the east coast and receiving updates from state forecasters,” Englert advised.

See the emergency preparedness link on Chester’s website that can help with preparations for this anticipated hurricane.

In preparation for Hurricane Irene, the closed for operations at 2:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon. Dave Rossiter, Harbor Liaison with the Connecticut DOT, explained the procedure: “The main effort with securing the Selden III against extreme weather is doubling up on mooring lines and running a couple more heavier circumference lines.”

Until danger passes, the ferry will remain moored tight to its slip on the Chester side of the Connecticut River.

When asked when the ferry might start up again, Rossiter said, “it’s almost playing it by ear, monitoring the conditions. The rate of the receding river will have to go to a certain level before operations can be resumed.”

The Chester Fair, a famous annual fixture and much anticipated statewide event, currently plans on staying open until Saturday night and will be closed Sunday. As of this writing, all of the vendors and exhibitors have been asked to start packing up after 6 p.m. on Saturday night, but this could change. The officials are taking it one step at a time; see the website for updates or call the office at 860-526-5947.

With any luck, the last song sung on the Chester Fair stage will be “Goodnight, Irene” – proving that Chesterites, like all good Nutmeggers, retain their sense of humor in the face of crisis.

For further information on emergency procedures, the State of Connecticut Info Line is available before, during and after the storm by dialing 2-1-1 for assistance. 2-1-1 will have up-to-date information about places to take shelter in the event of power outages, evacuation routes and more.

* Chester First Selectman Tom Marsh stepped down from office as of August 1, 2011, to take on the position of Town Manager in the small Vermont town of Windsor.