EAST PROVIDENCE — The blare of public safety sirens, the sight of heavy equipment moving through the streets, motorists driving with extreme caution; blizzards, hurricanes and tropical storms had …
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EAST PROVIDENCE — The blare of public safety sirens, the sight of heavy equipment moving through the streets, motorists driving with extreme caution; blizzards, hurricanes and tropical storms had nothing on the Nor’easter ripping through the area Friday, March 2.
Most East Providence Fire and Police Department vehicles raced around the city at a dizzying pace while others patiently patrolled immediate incidents, blocking traffic where necessary. Tree trimming trucks, Department of Public Works vehicles and even bulldozers were brought into service to remove debris from roads.
Downed tree limbs, utility poles and power lines were common around East Providence as of Friday evening as wind gusts measured at or were above 40 miles on a consistent basis according to the National Weather Service website. High wind and flood warnings remained in effect for the the city through the morning of Saturday, March 3. Winds, emanating from the north, were forecast to remain in the range of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 75 mph.
Power outages were spread around East Providence. Those reported were concentrated mostly in the Riverside section, east of Bullocks Point Avenue and north on Wampanoag Trail, clustered along the state border with Massachusetts and the municipal line at Barrington.
Said East Providence Emergency Management supervisor Wayne Barnes, “Dispatch are in very frequent contact with National Grid regarding outages and downed trees/wires and areas without power. Local street flooding is common and City Public Works and Public Safety are monitoring these areas. Significant flooding is expected in the State Street neighborhood through much of Saturday due to the rapid rise in the Runnins River.”
The EPFD, for instance, was “very busy,” said Chief Oscar Elmasian, who added department personnel have contended with a myriad of incidents caused by the storm including "rescue jobs, box alarms, electrical issue with a heating unit, fallen trees into buildings and roadways." Chief Elmasian also reported the EPFD was called to home with a report of some four feet of water already haven collected in its basement.
DPW Director Steve Coutu chimed in the weather has made operations "a little crazy," as his crews assisted in clearing fallen limbs and flooded areas.
— This story will be continually updated as additional information warrants.
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