MILFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — There’s a threat of flooding in some low lying areas in Fairfield and New Haven Counties because of the expected rain along with high tide.
Milford officials are ready for it. When wet weather is coming dispatchers watch the forecast. Both crews and computers keep tabs on wind and flood advisories, monitoring the radar and the tides. They also keep an eye on several flood gauges, which are in sheltered areas on the shoreline that are prone to flooding.
“As the shoreline has developed and more people move to the shoreline and you get more expensive houses they started adding gauges,” said Donna Cooke, Supervising Dispatcher for the Milford Fire Department.
A computer displays the data from those gauges and shows how high the water levels are. If they reach a certain point an alarm will go off and a crew will check the area.
Then they’ll decide whether or not they need to let the neighbors know. Residents may get a phone call, or if the flooding is severe, a siren will go off.
“It gives people a chance to protect their property and their vehicles from high water,” said Cooke.
Officials don’t have to alert the entire city – they can just reach out to people in specific areas. Officials aren’t expecting any major flooding this time around, however. Still, they say it’s important for folks to be ready for whatever Mother Nature might have in store.
“I expect that the low lying areas that normally flood probably will,” said Cooke. “We’ll probably get some gauge alarms that we’ll go out and check on. We’ll notify residents to move their vehicles.”
Residents should also check sump pumps to make sure they’re working properly.
