Tuesday, October 30, 2012
More than 50 trees fell with more than a dozen of trees remain on residential homes.
The residents along Orchard Street near the intersection of Common Street thought themselves quite fortunate when around noon Monday, Oct. 29 at the beginning of the gale force winds from Hurricane Sandy, a tall and large evergreen tree truck snapped near its base but missed landing onto neighboring houses or cars. "We all went inside thinking how lucky we were. Then, at 3:30 p.m. we heard this 'boom'," said a local resident the next day. Outside, a second large tree slammed into overhanging electrical and phone wires bringing the light pole crashing onto the street, creating a barrier of branches, trunk, poles and live wires across Orchard. Eighteen hours later, as the sun began peeking out for the first time in two days, neighbors came …
Whether the town's tree service hauls away arbor damage depends whose it is.
With nearly as many trees as residents and an extensive annual program to plant them around down, it's no wonder that Belmont is annually named a Tree City USA Community by the Arbor Day Foundation. So after a storm, the most damage caused by storms and wind are trees toppling over and branches falling onto property and public ways. But according to Belmont's Public Works Director Peter Castanino, not all trees damaged or fallen by Hurricane Sandy on Monday, Oct. 29, will be taken away or chopped up on the town's dime. To report a town shade tree that has fallen or heavy branches from the tree in public roadways, call the Belmont DPW at 617-993-2680. Castanino said DPW's Highway Division personnel and the two crews from the town's tree …
Monday, October 29, 2012
Add your own photos of the big blow in Belmont.
Here is your chance to show Belmont what you have seen in and around town. Upload the photos to this page or send them via e-mail and I'll put it on-line for all to see. I will be adding photos today, tonight and tomorrow.
USDA guidelines regarding food in a refrigerator without power. For Goodness Sake: Don't Open the Door!
With Hurricane Sandy predicted to hit Massachusetts hard today, losing power is a big threat. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service prepared a fact sheet for keeping food safe during an emergency, including losing power. The biggest thing, USDA says, is to "keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature." But, the refrigerator will only keep food safely cold for about four hours if unopened during a power outage, according to the USDA. A full freezer will hold the temperature for about 48 hours if full (24 hours of half full), the USDA says. The USDA emphasizes "never to taste food to determine its safety" and says that you should "evaluate each item separately." Generally, if …
With state and national authorities expecting massive electrical outages, the Belmont Municipal Light Department has a list of procedures to follow when the lights go out and come back on.
Read this while you still can. With many national and state forecasters and government officials predicting a record number of power outages up and down the east coast including here in Belmont, the local electrical utility, the Belmont Municipal Light Department has issued a procedure list if or when the lights go out. During An Outage Should an outage occur, call the Light Department at 617‐993‐2800. Don’t call 911 to ask about the power outage. Check the neighborhood to see if everyone is without power and then call BMLD at 617‐993‐2800 to report the outage. • Stay indoors, but if you do need to go out, use extreme caution, especially on roads without working traffic signals. Be cautious of any downed power lines – they may be live. • …
Plan your trip home accordingly; if not, you could be stuck.
If you or a loved one braved the elements and took the T to work this morning, you and them better start packing up your stuff now: The entire MBTA system will shut down service at 2 p.m. due to severe weather caused by Hurricane Sandy. According to the T website, the service suspension includes subway, bus and commuter rail service. Ferry service had already been suspended earlier in the day. The Ride remains open but users are "strongly encouraged" to call the contractor for their area to see if service is available.
As "best as it can," according to Town Hall.
While Hurricane Sandy may have closed down much of the East Coast, it isn't stopping trash pick up in Belmont. According to an email message from David Kale, Belmont's Town Administrator, street side trash pickup will continue on schedule despite the arrival of the storm later today, Monday, Oct. 29. "Trash will be pick-up as best as it can," said Kale. The action by the town and its hauler, FW Russell & Sons of Cambridge, should not come as a surprise to Belmont residents. Two years ago, at the height of a blizzard that closed the town and schools, residents were surprised to see trash trucks rumbling down unpaved streets on their scheduled runs. Residents should call the Belmont Department of Public Works with any questions at 617-993-…
Administrators office and Belmont departments ready for stormy two days.
Below is an announcement from Belmont Town Administrator David Kale. Current forecasts predict that Belmont may be impacted by strong winds and heavy rain beginning as early as Monday morning. This storm has the potential to cause flooding as well as downed trees and power lines. Take the proper precautions to ensure that basements are free of valuables which may be damaged in the event that flooding occurs. All Town Departments are making preparations to deal with whatever the weather brings. Residents and businesses are encouraged to make sure leaves and debris are removed from the top of storm drains near their property to reduce the chance of flooding. Residents and businesses are also encouraged to secure all outdoor furniture and …
42.39627
-71.17714
Office of the Town Administrator
455 Concord Ave, Belmont, MA
/articles/town-to-residents-prepare-for-sandy-s-arrival
230745
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