Scituate Urges Coastal Residents To Board Up Homes, Consider Evacuating Ahead Of Nor'easter
SCITUATE (CBS) -- Along the seawall in Scituate Thursday morning, excitement was building.
Yes, excitement over the potential of a storm on Saturday.
Sarah Lannon says her family has called Scituate home for generations. They're no strangers to powerful storms.
"I absolutely love it. I always just pray nobody gets hurt. But I love seeing the tide, the waves, the power," Lannon said. "My dad was here for the Etrusco. He was on duty helping. He was on duty for the blizzard of '78. So much that when he left for work on that Monday, we didn't see him for three days."
Between the winds and the waves, with moderately-high astronomical tides, this incoming storm is directly threatening the coastline.
Scituate Town Administrator Jim Boudreau says sandbags are going to be stacked up along the harbor to protect businesses and homes from potential flooding.
"Right now, we're pretty much in full prep mode and waiting to see where that storm track goes," Boudreau said.
Emergency management officials in Scituate put out an advisory intended for coastal residents to board up windows and doors, and even consider staying at a hotel or friend's house during the storm.
"If you have some place else to go, get out of those areas that are prone to flooding, because we will see some flooding," Boudreau said. "But the people of Scituate know what they're doing when these storms come. They're a pretty hearty group. So we're just try to give them a heads up to get ready, get ready now, and be prepared for when it comes."
But for some who stop by the Scituate lighthouse as part of their daily routine to take in the surprise, they say Saturday will be no exception.
"It builds up, you know. You look forward to what possibly could happen if the storm tracks properly. It's going to be a major event, which, provided there's no damage to property and people, it's a wonderful thing to see," one resident said.
Officials in Scituate are advising residents who are going to evacuate to get it done before 6 a.m. on Saturday, which will be ahead of high tide. Or, even more ideally, by Friday night.
