Office of Emergency Management Monitoring Irene's Progress

Mike Handler, New Canaan’s Director of the Office of Emergency Management said he appreciates the in the event there are widespread power outages if Hurricane Irene hits town, but the decision to create a shelter rests with the OEM, and there’ll be no speculation about sheltering until need exists.

“I want to make it clear that they’re being extremely generous, but it’s not a shelter,” Handler told Patch. “The decision as to which shelters will be opened and staffed will be made by Office of Emergency Management, taking into account all the factors that go into sheltering.”

The YMCA, which is closed this week for annual renovations, said it would open if the hurricane, which is expected to hit New England some time over the weekend, brought widespread power outages to the town.

Handler said he is grateful for the Y's efforts, but there are many considerations that have to be taken into consideration before a location is designated as a shelter. He said the OEM considers staffing capacity and access to a location before it selects a site as a shelter. Flooding, downed trees and downed power lines might all make a particular location inaccessible. Handler said the OEM will assess the town’s needs and the resources before identifying a location for a shelter.

The best way to stay informed, Handler said, is to register with the town’s call out system. His team will do whatever is necessary to get the word out, if there is word that needs to get out.

“We’ll give everybody as much information as we have as soon as we have it,” he told Patch. “We’ll give it to you, to the press. We’ll use the town website. We even make door-to-door notifications and hand delivery, when necessary. We’ll put message boards up in town.”