Communities Prepare For Henri As It Looks To Bring Significant Impact To Long Island
HAMPTON BAYS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - Flooding, beach erosion and power outages are some of the top concerns about Henri on Long Island.
As CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reports, at Shinnecock Inlet, where boats travel from the ocean to the bay, swimmers, surfers and fisherman were calling it a day Friday as Hanri is set to make landfall this weekend.
"It's going to be pretty ugly. Kind of concerned about the erosion over here on Shinnecock," said charter boat captain Vinnie Conwell.
Long Island's East End could feel the full force of Henri's hurricane-force winds, along with storm surge, tidal flooding, rough surf and rip currents.
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"We have a number of concerns. Obviously, flooding on the road. But we're here 30 years," said Christine Oakland-Hill of Oakland's Restaurant and Marina. "We have a 30-year-old building. God forbid this is head on. We have some big concerns. This is our legacy. We've been here a long time."
Dune Road is preparing to be underwater. Businesses may close. The U.S. Coast Guard will warn boaters and surfers when it is no longer safe.
"The beach erosion might happen again after they just replenished our whole beaches here last year," said Hampton Bays resident Laura Forman.
The county executive and Suffolk Police have crews at the ready.
"Storm surge and hurricane force winds. What you can expect: Trees coming down, electrical wires coming down, and of course, that means power outages," said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone.
In fact, PSEG Long Island is saying in a worst-case scenario, prepare for outages of 7-10 days. Nassau County Executive Laura Curran says that's unacceptable.
Sources tell CBS2 the utility companies have twice as much help ready to go as they did for Tropical Storm Isaias a year ago.
Hardware stores are open for homeowners who lose trees. For loss of power, call PSEG Long Island's hotline 800-490-0075.
"If 911 gets overloaded by an influx of non-emergency calls, true emergencies are delayed and getting out to our patrol cars," said acting Suffolk County Police Commissioner Stuart Cameron.
Watch Jennifer McLogan's report --
The Hollerans came east from Westchester.
"There's always concerns of loss of homes," they told CBS2's Jennifer McLogan.
Nicci Howell is a London tourist.
"We have to understand what the risk is going to be, make sure we are ready, make sure we have our supplies in," Howell said.
Vacation week to swim?
"Going back and forth, just to practice my stamina for swimming," said 11-year-old Cameron Encarnacion.
"But you won't be able to do that if the hurricane comes," McLogan said.
"Yeah," Cameron said.
Doreen Puco and her two grandsons were preparing themselves, out running errands in Oyster Bay, which is bracing for potential impacts.
"I'm afraid of losing my power," Puco told CBS2's Jessica Layton. "I just hope they're better prepared than they have been in the past."
"A lot of rain is never a good sign," one grandson said. "We moved to Long Island about two months before Sandy, and so everything since then we've gone through."
They're holding out hope we all get lucky.
"I'm hoping that the forecast changes and it changes direction, heads out to sea. That would be best case scenario," Puco said.
Over at the Beach Bar in Sea Cliff, customers enjoyed dinner by the water before the dangerous surf, storm surge and nasty winds arrive.
"I'm scared for the wind, at least, because there's a lot of trees over here, and erosion, of course," Sarina Koli said.
Shoreline communities in Connecticut are also preparing for the worst. Old Saybrook Police say its emergency management crew is in full preparedness mode.
"I think seeing a hurricane coming this close to Connecticut has us a little bit more anxious," Old Saybrook Police Chief Michael Spera said.
They have supplies ready in case they need to open a shelter, which would include showers, Wi-Fi and water.
Boat owners flocked to marinas to take precautions.
"Most of the boats you see coming out now are boats that are stored down the river, where they are badly exposed," said Scott Masse, president of the Oak Leaf Marina.
In Westchester County, DPW trucks were ready to put up barricades in flood-prone areas of Mamaroneck. Workers have been put on call for Sunday morning in case the water rises.
Meanwhile, in New York City, the Five Boro Bike Tour has been postponed because of Henri. It has been rescheduled for Aug. 29.
With the potential for up to 4-foot ocean swells and dangerous rip tides, New York City beaches will close Sunday and Monday.
MTA bridges and tunnels are banning trucks with empty or tandem trailers from 11 p.m. Saturday through 11 p.m. Sunday.
Storm concerns kept Con Edison crews busy in the Bronx, where workers were out trimming trees in the Pelham Bay section. They were doing it to reduce the risk tree limbs will fall onto overhead wires and cause power outages.
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CBS2's Jessica Layton contributed to this report.
