Arlington: Hurricane Irene Updates
August 26, 2011
Note to Media - Our Emergency Operations Center is now closed; if you have an urgent request, send a page to the Communications Duty Officer at 703-335-3017. (When you hear the beeps, enter your phone number, then #.)
Updated 8-29-11, 10:30am
Arlington crews have already brought more than 94 tons of brush debris to the Earth Products Recycling Yard. This material will be processed for wood mulch, to be provided to Arlington County residents. Crews will continue to collect and accept debris.
Updated 8-28-11, 3:30pm
Emergency Operations Center is deactivating and the County's local emergency will be lifted at 11:59pm tonight. All County facilities remain closed today and will be open for regular business Monday morning.
Updated 8-28-11, 11:20am
- National Weather Service reports the Tropical Storm Warning for the National Capital Region has been cancelled.
- 7,848 homes currently without power in Arlington
- Current roads closed: N. 18th St. & N. Quantico, N. Wakefield and Rockspring, 100 block of N. Liberty (County crews working to clear trees)
Updated 8-28-11, 10:30 AM
- About 14,000 homes are without power in Arlington.
- Dominion is working to restore.
- Report outages with Dominion by calling 1-866-366-4357.
- Residents should stay away from fallen wires, flooded areas and debris.
- Treat all fallen wires and anything touching them as though they’re energized.
- Exhaust fumes contain carbon monoxide and can be deadly, run generators outside with proper ventilation. Store fuel for your generator safely outside.
- ART and Metro are running regular schedules. Expect possible detours around downed wires and trees and allow additional time.
Food Safety Tips During Power Outages
- Don’t open your fridge or freezer unless you have to.
- If your freezer is full, food is good for about 48 hours after power loss; if your freezer half-full, it’s good for about 24 hours
- For the refrigerator, dairy or meats should be thrown out after 4-6 hours without power.
- Note: Restaurants without power should NOT be open.
What the County is Doing
- County crews are working to clear downed trees in public right-of-ways.
- There are 75 reports of downed trees.
- 35 streets are blocked completely or partially by trees; 11 of those involve power lines (which means Dominion must first turn off power to those lines)
- Tree debris will later be ground into mulch.
- County’s Damage Assessment teams are activated and are beginning to assess buildings and structures to determine the extent of damage.
- Arlington CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) was activated at daybreak to assess and report damage in neighborhoods. CERT is comprised of over 500 resident volunteers trained to assist in emergencies.
Updated 8-28-11, 5:48 AM
As Hurricane Irene moves out of the area, Arlington is beginning to assess the damage. Some traffic lights are out around the area. Please remember to treat all dark intersections as four way stops.
Several roads are closed:
- 2700 block of S. Hayes St.
- Intersection of N. George Mason Dr. and N. Park Dr.
- N. Columbus St. near Washington Blvd.
- N. Quantico and N. 18th St.
14,421 households are currently without power. Dominion crews are in the community responding to the outages.
Updated 8-28-11, 2:08 AM
Numerous trees and wires down throughout Arlington.
Updated 8-27-11, 8:06 PM
Virginia Department of Emergency Management is urging people to stay inside. Motorists are encouraged to suspend travel today and overnight tonight as the storm moves out of the area.
Updated 8-27-11, 5:40 PM
The National Weather Service reports a flash flood warning for Arlington County. Please take protective measures and monitor radio.
Updated 08-27-11, noon
What to expect in Arlington from Irene: A Tropical Storm Warning and Flash Flood Watch is in effect for Arlington County.
- Rain bands from the hurricane will start hitting this area in the early to midafternoon.
- Heavy rain, winds will start at around 6 p.m.
- Heaviest rain and winds between 8 pm Sat. and 2 am Sun.
- During this period we will likely experience sustained winds of up to 40 MPH, gusts between 40 and 50 MPH.
- 2-4 inches of total rain expected, with higher amounts further east.
- Due to ground saturation and winds, we are likely to experience some downed trees.
Updated, 08-26-11, 6:12 pm
The County’s Department of Human Services will open a second shelter for the homeless at the Central United Methodist Church, 4201 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1606. The shelter will accommodate up to 40 persons from 5 p.m. Saturday, August 27 to noon Sunday, August 28.
Updated, 08-26-11, 3:45pm
All Arlington County facilities will close Saturday, Aug. 27, at 12:00 noon and will remain closed through Sunday. This includes community centers, libraries, arts centers, and other County buildings. The County plans to reopen for regular business Monday, Aug. 29.
Today, Arlington County declared a local emergency for Hurricane Irene. This declaration provides for increased coordination with state resources, and provides increased administrative authority permitting the County to take necessary actions to prepare for and respond to the storm. Read more.
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Updated 08-25-2011, 5:16pm
Arlington County Government Braces for Hurricane Irene, Urges Residents to Prepare
- County calling in additional staff, securing equipment, buildings
- Residents should prepare personal response plan
- Sign up for Arlington Alert
ARLINGTON, Va. – Arlington County government today urged residents to be prepared for Hurricane Irene, which is expected to pass through or nearby the region this weekend. County workers are securing equipment, buildings and infrastructure across Arlington as County officials track the storm's path.
“As we just learned this week, when an earthquake struck Virginia, it pays to be prepared,” said Acting County Manager Marsha Allgeier. “Residents need to have a plan and need to stay informed so that they can protect themselves, their families and their property.”
What you need to do
What the County is doing
The County’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department has been moving picnic tables, play equipment and other equipment from low-lying areas, cleaning drains in parks, trimming tree branches, laying in supplies and taking other precautions to minimize damage to County parks, trees and recreation facilities. Programs have been cancelled in the multi-use Gunston bubble in Gunston Park.
Helping those who have no home
Parks workers are seeking out persons without homes who are sleeping in the open and informing them that the County Detention Facility (jail) lobby will be open from 5 p.m. Saturday evening until noon on Sunday, serving as a shelter of last resort for persons who are homeless. The jail has food and cots for 40.
Staff from the Arlington Street Peoples Assistance Network (ASPAN) will assist Arlington County Sheriff’s deputies. ASPAN, too, as part of their homeless bagged meal program, will reach out to persons living on the street. During their Saturday 5 p.m. meal, ASPAN will transport persons who are far from the detention facility.
Arlington County, Arlington Public Schools and American Red Cross are standing by and will be on call all weekend to provide additional shelter to residents, if needed.
DES preparing water-sewer-streets
The Department of Environmental Services is fueling, servicing and testing critical standby generators, used to support the water distribution and wastewater collection systems in case of loss of power or flooding. County workers also are preparing contingency plans to address possible storm impact on regular daily services, such as garbage and recycling collection. Workers are cleaning out culverts and taking other precautions to minimize flooding risk on County streets.
Traffic crews have prepared supplies to repair signs and signals after the storm. If you must drive during or immediately after the storm, do so with extreme caution. Roadways will be littered with debris, some signals may be out and signs missing. Repair and cleanup crews will be working in and around the roadway -- give them a brake!
Arlington County public safety departments are calling in additional personnel and senior County staffers are holding planning meetings with the County Manager.
Emergency Operations Center
If the storm hits Arlington hard, the County will open its Emergency Operations Center to coordinate its response and keep the public informed through an array of channels, including Arlington Alert, social media, including Facebook and Twitter, the County’s website, AVN, the County’s cable channel; 1700 AM Radio, and regular media updates
“This is a community effort,” said Jack Brown, director of the County’s Office of Emergency Management. “Yes, government has responsibilities, and we are fulfilling those responsibilities. But families, individuals and businesses need to be prepared – prepared with enough food, water and medical supplies to survive for three days, if necessary, and prepared to help their neighbors.”
Arlington, Va., is a world-class residential, business and tourist location that was originally part of the "10 miles square" parcel of land surveyed in 1791 to be the Nation's Capital. It is the geographically smallest self-governing county in the United States, occupying slightly less than 26 square miles. Arlington maintains a rich variety of stable neighborhoods, quality schools and enlightened land use, and received the Environmental Protection Agency's highest award for "Smart Growth" in 2002. Home to some of the most influential organizations in the world - including the Pentagon - Arlington stands out as one of America's preeminent places to live, visit and do business.
