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LEWISTON — Maybe Maine will suffer the full impact of Hurricane Sandy. More likely, it won’t. Either way, power company crews are standing by and expecting the worst.

Central Maine Power officials say they will be ready when the storm moves up the East Coast and makes landfall early next week.

Utility trucks are fueled and equipped, a CMP spokesman said. Key CMP personnel are holding periodic pre-storm planning sessions to discuss staffing levels and to finalize storm-response plans.

“We’ve put our storm-response plan into motion, and we’re watching the forecast closely,” said John Carroll, spokesman for Central Maine Power. “Our main concern will be the high winds and heavy rains forecast to accompany the storm. With leaves that have not yet been shed, trees are particularly vulnerable to strong winds, and the limbs and branches could be blown into our lines.”

The National Weather Service said the “Frankenstorm” that’s expected to strike the mid-Atlantic on Monday will mean only rain and wind in Maine and New Hampshire.

Meteorologist Tom Hawley from the weather service office in Gray said Friday that the region can expect 3 to 5 inches of rain and wind gusts 40 to 50 mph beginning Monday afternoon.
 
Forecasters in Maine have watched the storm closely because early computer models had Hurricane Sandy headed toward Maine. But by Thursday, they’d forecast landfall far south of Maine and New Hampshire.
 
Hawley said it will be a dangerous storm south of New England but will deliver only a glancing blow to Maine and New Hampshire. Still, he said, there’s the possibility of some flooding and scattered power outages.
 
The hurricane has been blamed for at least 20 deaths in the Caribbean. Several states to the south of Maine are preparing for the worst — as many as 45,000 National Guard and Air Force personnel in seven states have been alerted they may be called to duty, said George Little, a Defense Department spokesman in Washington.

Locally, CMP is coordinating its storm preparation efforts with the Maine Emergency Management Agency and the Governor’s Office, which Friday issued a limited Emergency Declaration to help Maine utilities prepare for the storm.

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The declaration suspends travel restrictions that would otherwise slow the arrival of crews from other states and Canada.

If outages occur, CMP urges customers to call the toll-free outage hot line: 1-800-696-1000.

Storm Survival Tips

Before the storm:

  • Stay tuned to updated NWS advisories to make sure you’re aware of potential dangers .
  • Before the storm, check on your emergency supplies such as batteries, water, food and medications.
  • Check on neighbors, relatives and friends who might need help getting ready for the storm, or cleaning up after it.
  • Check in with family in areas where the storm might hit harder. Ensure that you know how to contact each other quickly. Text messaging is a great way to get quick “I’m okay” messages through.
  • For marine interests: NWS advises paying close attention to forecasts, and consider removing boats from the water this weekend, before the storm.

During and after the storm:

  • Respect any local access restrictions to flooded areas, beach and shoreline areas or roadways blocked by fallen trees or power lines.
  • Stay away from any downed power lines and report them to your electric utility.
  • If you lose power, use generators and alternate heat sources safely. Generators should only be set up outdoors, at least 15 feet away from doors and windows. MEMA joins the National Weather Service and all operational partners in urging the utmost caution as this complicated storm system brings its hazards to Maine.

From the Maine Emergency Management Agency

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