Long Island Ready for Hurricane Earl

MYFOXNY.COM - Suffolk County appears likely to feel the brunt of Hurricane Earl on Friday. The Red Cross is ready to assist residents and bring them to shelters, if needed. County officials are on alert and have enacted a online notification system.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has advised residents of the eastern seaboard to be prepared in case evacuations are necessary.

Suffolk County enacted the CodeRed system this week which allows residents to sign up for emergency notifications. Also, county officials are urging residents to use a designated phone number to report Earl related damages to property and save 911 for other emergencies. The number is 631-852-COPS (2677)

The American Red Cross on Long Island has a website loaded with emergency information on how to deal with emergencies. Click HERE for LIPrepares.org .

Fire Island ferry service will be suspended for some time, while LIRR service will also be affected.

High waves and strong winds are expected. If utility lines go down and electricity goes out, thousands of Long Island Power Authority workers are ready to go. Crews from out of state will also be brought in if needed.

"We'll have four-thousand people ready to go," said LIPA's Mike Hervey. "That's our part of the preparation."

American Red Cross volunteers are urging folks to have certain supplies handy in their homes, including battery-operated radios, flashlights, blankets, and water.

If there are evacuations, authorities and the Red Cross will set up dozens of shelters across Long Island.

Craig Cooper of the American Red Cross said Long Island will have 50 shelters -- 25 in each county -- to accommodate 50,000- 60,000 people.

A hurricane expert says Long Island residents should remain alert should the track of the storm suddenly veer west off its current course.

Steven Englebright, the curator of geology at Stony Brook University, says Long Island residents should remain alert. He says the course of hurricanes can be unpredictable. He expressed concern that an early September storm could wreak havoc because leaves have yet to begin falling from trees.

Suffolk County officials say no shelters have been opened, but will take only five hours to get them running.

Statement from Fire Island Ferries:

"Due to the current predicted forecast regarding the effects of Hurricane Earl, service will be suspended, Friday September 3rd, 2010 after the 3:00 pm series of boats going to Fire Island. Their coordinating returns will be the last returns leaving Fire Island. The only exceptions to this will be Dunewood with a 3:30 pm return instead of its scheduled 4:30 pm return and Fair Harbor with a 3:30 return instead of its 4:20 return. We expect to resume regular service on Saturday morning (7:00 am full service)."

• MYFOXHURRICANE.COM
• STORM PREPAREDNESS GUIDE

LONG ISLAND AREAS AFFECTED BY DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF HURRICANES:

--Category 1 inundates the South Shore, Great South Bay and the North and South Forks
--Category 3 completely covers Montauk Highway, completely cutting off Montauk from the rest of the South Fork
--Category 4: Amityville Harbor, Atlantic Beach, Long Beach, South Oyster Bay, Middle Bay, East Bay
A category 4 hurricane inundates the entire towns of: Amityville, Lindenhurst, Babylon, West Islip, East Islip, Bayshore, Gilgo Beach, Cedar Beach, Great South Beach, Fair Harbor, Cherry Grove, Cupsogue, Westhampton Beach, Watermill Beach, Wainscott Beach, Plum Island, Gardiner's Island, Orient, Shelter Island (except for a few high points), Greenport, North Haven, Amagansett Beach, Napeague Beach, Montauk, Woodmere, Valley Stream, Linbrook, Long Beach, Atlantic Beach, Freeport, Merrick, Wantagh, Lido Beach, Jones Beach, and Tobay Beach.