Politics & Government

Gray Declares State of Emergency Leading Up to Hurricane Sandy

D.C. government agencies ready for hurricane by clearing storm drains, deploying generators and distributing sand bags.

The District of Columbia government is preparing for the possible impact of Hurricane Sandy by taking precautionary measures and establishing a plan to respond to the potential effects of the storm on the District.

“Crucial District government agencies are already implementing their storm-response plans,” said City Administrator Allen Y. Lew in a press release. “We will be ready for this storm.”

As of Saturday morning the storm was looking like "a hybrid cyclone," the National Weather Service noted in its Friday night discussion of the storm posted on its Web site.  "That means it has some attributes of a hurricane and some of a nor’easter," the Capital Weather Gang explained in its blog.

Find out what's happening in Georgetownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Meteorologists are sounding increasingly dire warnings about the magnitude and historic nature of this combined storm, and the District is preparing in earnest,” said Mayor Gray in a press release. “We are working hard to ensure that we minimize any of this storm’s negative effects in the District," said Gray in the same release.

According to the press release, District agencies are taking the following actions to prepare for the storm:

Find out what's happening in Georgetownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  • DC Water is clearing storm drains citywide.
  • DPW will distribute sandbags on Saturday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. at RFK Stadium, Lot 7.
  • The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is assigning staff and contractors to be ready to collect storm debris starting Monday, and DPW crews will assist.
  • DPW tow trucks will be deployed as necessary to remove vehicles blocking roadways.
  • DDOT has generators in place at major intersections. If power is disrupted there, traffic signals will continue to work. In addition, DDOT traffic control officers will direct traffic where necessary.


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