Barnstable County Prepares for Powerful Ocean Storm
- Blizzard warning in effect from 1 a.m. Thursday to 1 a.m. Friday
- Coastal flood warning is in effect from 11 a.m. Thursday to 4 p.m. Thursday
- At the height of the storm winds could gust as high as 70 mph
- Bitterly cold air will flow in behind the storm
- Citizens should be prepared for power outages
- The Barnstable County MACC will be activated at 6 a.m. Thursday
BARNSTABLE (MA) January 3, 2018 – The Barnstable County Regional Emergency Planning Committee (BCREPC) held a conference call at 10 a.m. Wednesday, January 3, 2018, to discuss preparations for the approaching winter storm.
With the track of the storm moving further westward, a period of rain is expected, which will lessen the snow totals on the Cape and Islands.
The heaviest winds are predicted to occur between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday.
Coastal flooding is a concern on the Bay side of Cape Cod during the 1 p.m. high tide on Thursday.
Electric utility Eversource will prestage tree, pole, and line crews on the Cape ahead of the storm.
The BCREPC advises the citizens of Barnstable County to be prepared for winter weather conditions and refrain from driving during the storm to enable highway crews to treat and clear the roads and utility crews to restore power as needed.
STATUS: The BCREPC Multi-Agency Coordination Center (MACC) operated by the Barnstable County All Hazards Incident Management Team will be activated at 6 a.m. Thursday. A decision about the status of the Barnstable County Regional Shelter System will be made later on Wednesday, January 3, 2018.
###
For information about preparedness and the Regional Shelter System visit the Barnstable County REPC website at www.bcrepc.org. Follow the BCREPC on Twitter @bcrepc.
Additional information on preparedness is available from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) at www.mass.gov/mema or the FEMA website at www.ready.gov or call 2-1-1. For specific local information, citizens should contact the emergency management office in their town.
Barnstable County Regional Emergency Planning Committee (BCREPC)
The BCREPC was founded in September 2002 to assist the communities on Cape Cod and the Town of Nantucket with addressing hazardous materials emergency planning and response as required by the federal government. Today, the BCREPC has expanded its scope to include “All Hazard” emergency planning issues such as storm response, sheltering and grants management. The BCREPC is a coalition of emergency management, law enforcement, fire service, health care, public health, public works, EMS, military, and numerous other affiliated agencies as outlined by the Massachusetts State Emergency Response Committee (SERC). It represents the towns of Barnstable, Bourne, Brewster, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Harwich, Mashpee, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro, Wellfleet, and Yarmouth in Barnstable County, and the town of Nantucket in Nantucket County. The REPC is coordinated by the Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment. Visit www.bcrepc.org
Barnstable County Multi-Agency Coordination Center (MACC)
The Barnstable County Multi-Agency Coordination Center (MACC) assists Cape Cod towns during regional emergencies. The MACC, operated by the Barnstable County All Hazards Incident Management Team, serves as a clearinghouse for regional resource requests and supports the regional emergency shelter system when it is activated. When regional resources are unavailable or exhausted, the MACC elevates requests for assistance to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). The MACC coordinates with a number of agencies and organizations including town emergency operations centers, utility companies, healthcare facilities, regional transportation operations, the Massachusetts National Guard, the American Red Cross, the Cape Cod Citizen Corps Council, and other non-governmental organizations.
Barnstable County All Hazards Incident Management Team
The Barnstable County All Hazards Incident Management Team operates the MACC under the authority of the Barnstable County Regional Emergency Planning Committee. A component of the Barnstable County Regional Emergency Planning Committee, the Barnstable County All Hazards Incident Management Team was established in 2005 is composed of volunteers from both the public and private sectors. The highly trained team follows FEMA Incident Command System (ICS) standards and operates within the framework of the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
