Sakonnet area fire chiefs issue storm warnings
SAKONNET AREA — Tiverton and Little Compton fire chiefs as of about 1:30 p.m. Monday issued warnings and advice for residents of the towns they protect in advance of Hurricane Jose, which is projected to arrive in the area sometime Tuesday night or Wednesday.
Tiverton Fire Chief Robert Lloyd, at 1:27 p.m., said:
"At this time we have been upgraded from a Tropical storm watch to a tropical warning. What is the difference;
Understanding the difference between National Weather Service watches and warnings is critical to being prepared for any dangerous weather hazard, including hurricanes.
A "watch" lets you know that weather conditions are favorable for a hazard to occur. It literally means "be on guard!" During a weather watch, gather awareness of the specific threat and prepare for action — monitor the weather to find out if severe weather conditions have deteriorated and discuss your protective action plans with your family.
A "warning' requires immediate action. This means a weather hazard is imminent — it is either occurring (a tornado has been spotted, for example) — or it is about to occur at any moment. During a weather warning, it is important to take action: grab the emergency kit you have prepared in advance and head to safety immediately. Both watches and warnings are important, but warnings are more urgent.
At this time we are advising residents to make storm preparations.
We are preparing to handle loss of trees and lots of foliage down. The storm is also anticipated to bring over three inches of rain to our area. This accompanied by downed limbs and leaves will tend to clog storm drains and cause street flooding.
Though we do not anticipate severe issues, we are making our pre-storm preparations and will continue to monitor the storms progress. There is expected to be some coastal flooding with beach erosion. Please monitor us on Twitter and Facebook for updates on the progress of the storm.
Twitter - #EMATiverton
Facebook - Tiverton EMA
Little Compton Fire Chief Richard Petrin, at 1:23 p.m., said:
"Not much of anything specific to state at this time. I am monitoring the storm closely. I would ask
that people stay at a safe distance from water's edge if they are going to
watch the waves. It's very important to stay off the rocks — they're very slippery. People
should check and test their pumps and generators. Never run the generators
indoors. Make sure they are outside."
