Emergency Shelter Opens As Stonington Evacuates

As the Red Cross begins to register and welcome evacuees at the town shelter at , many residents ordered to evacuate are deciding to ignore the warning.

With Hurricane Irene threatening, town officials have ordered residents in low-lying and flood prone zones to evacuate by dark.

“The majority—85 percent—are staying in their houses," said Stonington Ambulance driver Ben Royer. "They’re saying if they could ride out (Hurricane) Bob, or the ’38 Hurricane, they can ride this out. Not a good idea. We had one woman in the Borough tell us she was staying and it was okay because she boarded up her windows. Well that won’t help much if a tree falls on her house.”

Stonington Ambulance driver Gary Maloney agreed.

“We can’t come out to get you,” he said.

Stonington town and borough fire and emergency vehicles were patrolling the flood prone and low-lying areas utilizing bullhorns to notify people of the mandatory evacuation.

“You have to be out before it gets dark,” one official sounded as a fire truck drove down Water Street in the Borough.

At the high school, Pawcatuck resident Raymond Lam and his family were packed and ready to check in.

“We were told to leave," Lam said. "We did." His son Tony said he brought his “Nintendo DS and a bunch of Lego’s to play with.”

A Stonington schools bus driver arrived at the high school with a resident who opted to take refuge at the shelter. But the driver said many of the residents she expected to transport did not want to go to the shelter.

But Susan Crowe did.

“I’m here for two reasons: One, I live by the water and two, I just got out of the hospital," Crowe said. "I need to be here."

Inside the high school Red Cross volunteers were seen registering folks who were ordered evacuated.

“We are urging people to pay attention [to the evacuation order]," said Red Cross volunteer Susan J. Baillargeon. "It’s very important to keep safe. We’re set up and ready to take people in. Bring your patience, good humor and everything you need to be comfortable.”