LYNN — If your street typically floods, city officials have a message for you ahead of Friday’s nor’easter: Think about leaving home until the storm’s over.
Office of Emergency Management sent a phone alert to Lynn residents early Thursday evening saying residents in flood-prone areas should consider evacuating their homes. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency had made a similar recommendation to all communities along the state’s eastern shore earlier in the day.
“We want people to leave their homes before the water comes in tomorrow,” Lynn Office of Emergency Management director and Lynn Fire Lt. Paul Ricchi said Thursday night.
Because schools are open on Friday, the options for off-street parking in Lynn are limited. The city will open the Federal Street lot for parking in the morning. Later in the day, residents can use the Breed School lot once classes are dismissed.
The city will be ready to provide temporary shelter during the storm, but Ricchi asked that residents try to find a place to stay on their own.
“We’re asking that people try to find family and friends to stay with,” Ricchi said.
Should the worst forecast come true, the city will have two high-water vehicles available to bring residents out of flooded areas. The trucks, which can quickly move a large number of people, will be pre-positioned in the city, Ricchi said.
Lynn residents can find updates about the storm on the city website at ci.lynn.ma.us.
Ricchi stressed anyone with an emergency should call 911. For non-emergencies, residents should contact the appropriate city department.
