Suffolk County Update - Evening of Oct. 31

The most recent Suffolk County updates at this time:

·   Since Suffolk County roads have been cleared by DPW, Suffolk County DPW crews will assist townships with road clearing and tree removal to expedite restoration process.

Charging Stations

o   Charging Stations for Suffolk County to open today at 4:00pm and close at 8:00pm.  Tomorrow charging stations will be open from 9:00am-8:00pm. Please be mindful that many residents may have to use the charging stations so be we ask everyone to work cooperatively to access power and please bring no more than 2 devices.  Please make sure to bring chargers for your 2 devices.

·        Hauppauge-H Lee Dennison Bldg., Media Center – 1st Floor, 100 Veterans Memorial Hwy, Hauppauge, NY 11788

·        Yaphank-Bldg. C14 (Old Infirmary), Auditorium, 360 Yaphank Ave,, Yaphank, NY 11980

·        Riverhead County Center-Lobby, 210 Center Dr., Riverhead, NY 11901

Fire Island Update:

·        Coast Guard Station Used as Command Post

·        Suffolk County Urban Search And Rescue team deployed to FI to assess fire department buildings and critical infrastructure

·        KISMET FD up and running

·        No injuries have been reported

·        Evacuated a family of 3 today

·        Residents were told to leave FI and at this time no one should return to FI

·        Some people have been returning to FI and we encourage you not to due to safety concerns

·        Water has receded on boardwalk

Price Gouging

·        Starting to receive reports of price gouging. This is not acceptable.  Suffolk County already has deployed consumer affairs investigators to follow up on complaints.  Residents can call 1-800-909-5423 with reports and we will vigorously follow up and hold people accountable. 

Red Cross

·        Closing Riverhead and Hampton Bays Shelters today

·        Will open meal distribution centers starting tomorrow.  First centers to open are:

o   Dennison Building in Hauppauge and Riverhead County Center in Riverhead. 

o   The timeframe for the opening of the site will be shared once confirmed

·        The County will look to open additional meal distribution centers throughout the weekend

FEMA

·        We are coordinating with FEMA to open residential assistance centers early next week.  These centers will assist residents and businesses with obtaining pertinent information regarding federal assistance.  Please contact your insurance companies first to make claims.  FEMA assistance only covers what insurance companies do not cover.

State Troopers

·        The State has supplied the County with 100 state troopers to assist with recovery efforts.

Health Centers

·        The following health centers are still without power and will not be open today: Brentwood, MLK (Wyandanch), Tri-Community (Amityville) and East  Hampton.

Water Update

·        Commissioner James Tomarken of the Suffolk County Department of Health Services said that to date there have not been water supply problems identified in any of the major mainland public water suppliers in Suffolk County, including the Suffolk County Water Authority and the South Huntington, Riverhead, Greenlawn, Hampton Bays, Dix Hills, Saint James and Smithtown Water District.  These districts serve approximately 1.4 million residents. 

·        As of today, October 31, 2012, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDHS) advises that the water supply systems for the following communities may not be safe for potable uses (e.g., drinking, culinary use, bathing, and washing utensils) due to potential water service disruption that increases risk from contaminants such as bacteria.:

·        King’s Cabins in Shelter Island

·        All Fire Island community water supply systems, except for Ocean Beach Water District

·        Maidstone Park Cottages in East Hampton

·        Peconic View Mobile Home Park

·        Residents served by these systems are advised to avoid using tap water directly for potable purposes until further notice.  In the interim, recommended alternatives include certified bottled water or, where possible, bringing water to a rolling boil for at least one minute. 

SCDHS is in the process of notifying system operators and attempting to collect follow-up samples. Approximately 50,000 people in Suffolk County are served by private on-site wells.  Residents with wellheads that have been submerged by floodwater are also advised not to use their wells for any purpose, and instead to use bottled water or an acceptable alternative water source until they have their well tested by a commercial certified laboratory.  These residents are also advised to have their wells disinfected prior to testing.

For additional information, residents should contact their water suppliers or SCDHS at (631) 852-5810.

Halloween Update

In spite of the improved weather conditions, there are still numerous downed trees and live wires as well as flooding conditions in many neighborhoods. Police suggest parents consider staying home and celebrating Halloween indoors. Trick-or-treating and traditional Halloween celebrations are intended to be fun for children, however, due to the recent storm, it may be unsafe to be outdoors. If parents choose to take the risk of going trick-or-treating with their children, they must be aware of the dangers these post-storm conditions pose to their children’s safety.

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