Foxborough Patch’s Guide to Hurricane Sandy

The Town of Foxborough and Foxborough Patch are providing residents with the following tips and information to use during and after Hurricane Sandy, which is expected to affect the area Monday and Tuesday.

HHurricane Sandy or “Frankenstorm” looks as if it will have an impact on our community, beginning Monday.

The National Weather Service is predicting winds between 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 70 mph – strong enough to cause significant power outages throughout the area.

The town of Foxborough has provided a link on its website to provide helpful hurricane and flood information to residents. Click here to review the nearly 30 links of information provided by the town.

Residents are also asked to follow these practices:

During and After the Storm

• Use common sense
• Stay inside unless absolutely necessary per Governor Deval Patrick
• Do not use generators indoors
• Do not go near or touch ANYTHING near or around downed wires
• Conserve battery usage
• Only open refrigerators & freezers when absolutely necessary to help preserve food longer
• Check in on your neighbors, especially the elderly and disabled
• Stay away from small streams and moving water during a flood

If the Power Goes out

Dealing with downed wires:

• Assume all downed wires are energized
• Call 911 if you see or know of downed wires
• Stay away from downed wires
• Do not touch trees, fences or any objects near downed wires as they may be energized

Reporting an outage:

• DO NOT CALL 911 for a power outage
• CALL National Grid to report outages at 1-800-322-3223 or 1-800-465-1212
• Contact verizon and comcast at 1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966) or 1-800-COMCAST (1-800-266-2278)

If you are on Oxygen and lose power to your oxygen concentrator:

• Use a back up oxygen tank
• Call the Fire Department before you run out of oxygen.

Trash Pick Up Update

UPDATE (1:31 p.m. Monday, Oct. 29) – Dooley Trash Services will operate on a holiday trash schedule, delaying one day, beginning on Monday, Oct. 29 because of Hurricane Sandy. Russell’s Town Trash Services will continue to operate under its normal schedule.

Text National Grid to Receive Storm Updates

Text: STORM to National Grid (64743) to get text alerts from the utility company.

Non-Emergency Numbers to Keep on Hand

The following is a partial list of phone numbers to call related to specific problems you may have:

• Foxborough Police business line: 508-543-4343
• Foxborough Fire business line: 508-543-1238
• Foxborough Department of Public Works: 508-543-1207
• National Grid outage reporting: 1-800-465-1212
• Verizon: 1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966)
• Comcast: 1-800-COMCAST (1-800-266-2278)

All emergency situations, however, residents should be reported to  9-1-1.

Seven Smartphone Apps to Use During Hurricane Sandy:

Here’s a list of some helpful apps to have on you smartphone as Hurricane Sandy bears down on Boston.

• Ping4Alerts: This is the newly released and heavily promoted app from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. Get weather updates and other vital storm-related updates from the agency that is in charge of handling storm response in the Commonwealth. Available for iOS and Android.
• American Red Cross: This is the number one spot to find local shelters if you need it with the Shelters app and send out information via social networks to tell your friends and family you are safe with the Huricane App (for iOS and Android). In all, the Red Cross offers a total of five first aid and storm-related apps.
• Radar: Both NECN and WHDH have great weather-only app (NECN for iOS and Android and WHDH for iOS) and most other local news channels have live radar and other local forecast info as part of their news app, including WBZ, WCVB and WFXT. Both WCVB and WFXT also have apps for Blackberry. Track the storm on radar and get updated forecasts on the track and the storm’s impact.
• Patch: Your No. 1 spot for all the local info you need. Download the Patch app and select Foxborough Patch to stay in touch with what is happening with the storm close to home.
• FEMA: The Federal Emergency Management Authority app (for iOS and Android) gives you plenty of great advice on how to get ready for the storm and what to do to stay safe as it bears down, plus weather updates.
• Flashlight: You’ve been told to have battery-power lights and candle at the ready, but the phone is your pocket is a flashlight too. Download this app (for iOS, Android and Blackberry) to turn the flash on your Smartphone camera into a flashlight. There are a variety of free apps that do this.
• TuneIn Radio: This app is great to listen to the “radio” near and far (for iOS, Android and Blackberry). Get local news and information from radio stations close to home, but if you are interested in how other areas are faring you can check out stations from the South Coast, Connecticut and New York City too. Just watch your data use if you have plan limits and you are streaming on the cell network.

ORIGINALLY POSTED BY FOXBOROUGH PATCH 

By Jeremie Smith
http://foxborough.patch.com/articles/foxborough-s-guide-to-hurricane-sandy?ncid=newsltuspatc00000001