Hurricane Sandy

***Update: Resources for Hurricane Sandy Recovery***

Dear Rhode Islander,

I hope you and your family are safe after the storm. Today I'm traveling around Rhode Island to evaluate the damage that has been caused, and working with officials to be sure we're acting swiftly and appropriately to get Rhode Islanders the resources they need for recovery.

I wanted to take a break to let you know about some key resources to help you during this time. Hopefully you will not need to use them, but in the case that you do, these links and resources might prove useful to you and your family. Please also feel free to pass these resources along to your neighbors.

United Way's 211 hotline
You can call 211 for a comprehensive list of recovery resources 24-7. 211 is taking damage reports for RIEMA and FEMA. They are also developing a list of residents that need assistance with cleanup or additional help.

National Grid Power Outages
If you need to report a power outage, check the status of an outage you already reported, or just want to see the map of power outages in our state, click here: https://www1.nationalgridus.com/PowerOutageMap
And if you see a downed power line, please call 1-800-465-1212 to help keep your fellow Rhode Islanders safe.

Rhode Island Department of Transportation
For road closures, RIPTA information, traffic signal outages and other timely transportation information, please visit the RIDOT site here: http://www.dot.state.ri.us/

Rhode Island Red Cross
To either receive help from Rhode Island Red Cross or to make a donation to help them provide shelter and resources to fellow Rhode Islanders, please visit: http://www.redcross.org/ri

I hope you'll join me in thanking our hard-working emergency responders, National Guard members, and government employees who have been working around the clock to maintain our safety during Hurricane Sandy.

Sandra and I wish you all the best as we continue to recover from the storm. Please be safe.

Best regards,
Sheldon
U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
P.S. If you need a replacement yard sign, please click here: www.whitehouseforsenate.com/yardsign Our team will be doing more deliveries in the days ahead.

*****

Dear Rhode Islander,

With all eyes on Hurricane Sandy and its ever-changing path, I wanted to make sure you and your family have some key resources to prepare for the storm and its aftermath. And for those of you who live in a coastal community, please be particularly careful. Due to potential coastal storm surges, the National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for our entire coastline.

Useful Links for Your Family During Hurricane Sandy:

A Few Tips Straight from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA):

For the severe weather forecast for your area, listen to your NOAA Weather Radio, local media and forecast reports.
Check on the items in your family's emergency kit - remember to include items like a flashlight, hand-crank radio, and a solar powered cell phone charger to your emergency kit. Hurricanes often bring power outages, so be sure your emergency kit can sustain your family for at least 72 hours after the storm.
Make a plan for how you will contact friends and family in the event of an emergency.
Flooding is often the most significant threat from hurricanes and tropical storms - avoid walking or driving through flooded areas – it only takes six inches of fast-moving flood water to knock over an adult and two feet to move a vehicle.
As always, follow the direction of local officials. Don't put yourself at risk, if they give the order to evacuate, do so immediately.

While these are just some of the resources available online, I hope you have found this page to be helpful. I urge you to practice caution during this time – and if you have an elderly or sick friend, please be sure to check in on them.

Best regards,

Sheldon
U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

P.S. Remember to bring all loose items from your yard indoors – including your campaign yard sign – as loose items can become airborne hazards during the storm.