As Hurricane Sandy makes its way closer to the Valley, officials in Brooke County are watching closely, preparing for what she may bring.

Officials from every community in Brooke County were on hand for Sunday night's safety briefing on Sandy. The National Weather Service and even Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin were on the statewide conference call, all in an effort to make sure everyone is staying ahead of the storm.

"What we want to do is get a plan if this storm does hit us and we have a lot of devastation here like power outages and things. 'What shelters are we going to open up, and have backup power' and so on," Brooke County EMA Director Bob Fowler said.

The latest Severe Weather Team 9 forecast is calling for more than 3 inches of rain and wind gusts over 50 miles per hour leading to the possibility of downed trees and power lines. Crews from Mon Power say they are busy preparing for the storm and want customers to know that outages could still last up to 10 days.

In addition, the flooding of creeks and streams is also possible. The worst of the wind and rain is expected to hit Monday night into Tuesday.

"At 8 p.m. (Monday), we are going to stand up our (Emergency Operations Center) and we will have people here around the clock probably until Wednesday evening," said Fowler.

To prepare, officials are asking that residents bring inside or tie down any loose objects outside, including political signs, which could act as projectiles. They also want to remind pet owners to make sure all pets are indoors, too. They said they want residents to be alert, but not scared of the storm.

If power and phone lines go down, Fowler said the center will still be able to broadcast information over the radio on AM station 1700.

Shelters in Brooke County will be opened at the following locations: Follansbee Community House, Windsor Heights Community Center, Wellsburg Fire House and Free Methodist Church as well as the church on Mechling Hill. Because of the storm, as a safety precaution, Brooke County schools will be under a two-hour delay on Tuesday.

Precautionary Actions (Source: National Weather Service Pittsburgh):


1. Avoid unnecessary travel tonight into early Tuesday.

2. Fuel up your vehicles.

3. If you have a generator...assure you have adequate fuel on hand.

4. To prepare for the possibility of prolonged power outages...make sure you have a supply of fresh batteries and a supply of candles or flashlights on hand.

5. Be sure to have several days of fresh water on hand for drinking and cooking.

6. Secure or store loose items outside as they could become airborne in strong winds.

7. Clean out any storm drains or gutters that may be clogged by leaves.

8. If you live in a flood prone area and if possible...consider moving items that may be damaged to higher ground.

9. If you have limited mobility or know of someone who may be disabled...consider arranging for temporary shelter if they live in an area that may flood or could lose power.

10. Have cash available.

11. Do not run generators inside your home to stay warm if the power goes out...this creates a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Stay with Severe Weather Team 9 on-air and online for continuing coverage.