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The Mayor's Office has been receiving a large number of calls from individuals concerned about heightened security as the nation upgrades its alert status from elevated (yellow) to high risk (orange). The City of Torrington is closely monitoring the situation and receiving updates from the State of CT Department of Public Safety, Division of Homeland Security.
Residents should go about their normal daily activities but take sensible precautions. The City's Office of Emergency Management (OEM) advises citizens to prepare for the heightened risk the same way they would prepare for a winter storm. Households should store enough supplies, such as bottled water, food, and essential medications, to last three days. Families should also create a disaster plan, identifying where they will meet if they cannot return home, and how they can contact each other. OEM urges people not to overreact, and is not advising people to wrap their homes in plastic, which can potentially be dangerous.
Torrington's Office of Emergency Management recently published "All Hazards Information"; a manual with advice on preparing for any type of emergency - from terrorist incidents to natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes and winter storms. The complete manual is available online on the Emergency Management section of the City's website at www.torringtonct.org. It is also being distributed from the Torrington Police Department and the City Clerk's Office at City Hall.
The manual recommends that every home should have certain disaster supplies on hand at all times. These include flashlight and extra batteries; portable, battery-operated radio and extra batteries; NOAA weather radio; first aid kit and manual; emergency food; at least three gallons of bottled water per person; one change of clothing and footwear per person; one blanket or sleeping bag per person; non-electric can opener; rubber boots; rubber gloves; essential medicines; cash and credit cards, and, sturdy shoes.
For more information, the public can also turn to the American Red Cross for brochures and survival kits as part of its new Prepare Connecticut program. Information is available online at www.prepareforlife.org, or by calling the Red Cross at 877-287-3327.
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