NAHANT — The town’s primary emergency evacuation location became safer Friday with the permanent addition of on-site equipment.
The town’s Emergency Management crew is led by Director Timothy Furlong, who is also the chief of the town’s Police Department; Assistant Director Mike Halley; Assistant Carl Maccario; and Glenn Sanphy. The four led the three-hour process of moving the resources from a trailer to Johnson Elementary School.
Throughout the past year in preparation for the storage, the Police Department poured a concrete pad and installed shelves in the schoolroom, which is affectionately known as the “dungeon.” Prior to the change, materials were stored in a trailer that would be parked outside of the school in anticipation of weather-related emergencies. According to Johnson School Principal Kevin Andrews, having the materials located in the school is more reliable and less of a burden for all parties involved.
“It’s away from kids, it’s locked, it’s dry,” Andrews said about the storage room. “It’s better environmental control than compared to the trailer. The trailer is exposed to all elements and temperatures.”
He added that it should become easier to inventory the items moving forward as well.
The emergency equipment consists of things such as first-aid kits, bedding, and non-perishable food items.
Johnson School is equipped with assets such as an emergency generator and air conditioning that make it a viable shelter for residents during an emergency. According to Andrews, it was used to house Bass Point residents for multiple nights when flooding and a power outage affected their homes.
“There’s multiple situations nowadays, like climate change, where you really need to be ready for whatever comes up,” Andrews said.
