The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) has the following tips for dealing with a possible power outage:

 ·         Check flashlights and portable radios to ensure that they are working, and you have extra batteries, as part of your Family Disaster Supply Kit. A radio is an important source of critical weather and emergency information during a storm.

·         If your water supply could be affected by a power outage (a well-water pump system), fill your bathtub and spare containers with water.  Water in the bathtub should be used for sanitation purposes only, not as drinking water.  Pouring a pail of water from the tub directly into the bowl can flush a toilet. 

·         Set your refrigerator and freezer to their coldest settings (remember to reset them back to normal once power is restored).  During an outage, do not open the refrigerator or freezer door unnecessarily.  Food can stay cold in a full refrigerator for up to 24 hours, and in a well-packed freezer for 48 hours (24 hours if it is half-packed).

 ·         If you have medication that requires refrigeration, check with your pharmacist for guidance on proper storage during an extended outage.

 ·         In order to protect against possible voltage irregularities that can occur when power is restored, you should unplug all sensitive electronic equipment, including TVs, stereo, VCR, microwave oven, computer, cordless telephone, answering machine and garage door opener. Review the process for manually operating an electric garage door.

 ·         Be extra cautious when you go outside to inspect for damage after a storm.  Downed or hanging electrical wires can be hidden by trees or debris, and could be live.  Never attempt to touch or move downed lines, and keep children and pets away from them.  Do not touch anything power lines are touching, such as tree branches or fences.  Always assume a downed line is a live line.  Call your utility company to report any outage-related problem.

 The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is the state agency responsible for coordinating federal, state, local, voluntary and private resources during emergencies and disasters in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  MEMA provides leadership to: develop plans for effective response to all hazards, disasters or threats; train emergency personnel to protect the public; provide information to the citizenry; and assist individuals, families, businesses and communities to mitigate against, prepare for, and respond to and recover from emergencies, both natural and man made. For additional information about MEMA and Hurricane Preparedness, go to www.mass.gov/mema.

The Sudbury Fire Department operates out of three stations; headquarters is on Route 27, Station 2 is on Route 20, and Station 3 is on Route 117.  When a call for medical assistance is received, the ambulance responds from headquarters with two men, and a fire engine from one of the outstations is dispatched as well for additional manpower.  Which engine is dispatched depends upon where the medical call is located.  This dispatch protocol assures a minimum of 4 men on a call, in addition to the shift supervisor in Car 3.

The fire engine at the non-responding station is also dispatched to cover headquarters so that another crew is centrally located and available to respond to subsequent calls.  Should a subsequent call be received, this covering company will be dispatched along with the original engine company at the first call once they are released.

The Sudbury Fire Department assists families by providing installation services for Child Safety Seats. Installation of car seats has become a source of concern as many different car designs, seat designs, and child shapes and sizes makes selection and proper installation of car seats more difficult.

We have two trained and certified technicians who specialize in these installations. Call our main number ( 978-443-2239 ) to make an appointment.

A permit is required from the Fire Department before a tank may be removed. The Fire Department will be on-site when the tank is removed from the ground to check for contamination and to ensure that all safety requirements to prevent a fire or explosion are being followed.

After a tank is removed the contractor must take a soil sample for analysis to confirm that the ground is not contaminated. Also, the tank must be disposed of at a licensed tank yard and a receipt for the tank disposal must be supplied to the Fire Department.

Sudbury has a bylaw that requires all Underground Storage Tanks (UST's) to be removed when they are 25 years old or they must be tested each year for tightness.

For further information on UST's, you may visit the United States Environmental Protection Agency Web page. Environmental Protection Agency