Getting ready for Hurricane Irene

By: Web Staff

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UNITED STATES -- A State of Emergency has now been declared in New York as officials keep an eye on Hurricane Irene's approach.

Irene has pounded the Bahamas with high winds and torrential downpours. There are reports of trees down, power lines and power outages.

Evacuations are already underway in parts of North Carolina.

Irene could hit the northeast hard between Saturday night and Sunday night.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is already asking some folks to play it safe and head away from the coast.

"I'm asking folks on the Barrier Islands, in Cape May, Atlantic Ocean, to leave now. And I'm leading by example. I'm on a Barrier Island right now with my wife and four kids. We won't be there tonight. So, you know, I'm not asking anybody else to do anything that I'm not doing. There are people upset that are cutting short their vacation, I feel their pain. But you know what, we have to do what we have to do," Christie said.

Hurricane tracker:

Follow Irene's path at the National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center

Hudson Valley preparing for Irene

HUDSON VALLEY, N.Y. -- The Town of Mamakating is telling people to be prepared this weekend. If there's a need to open emergency shelters, the Town of Mamakating has designated two locations: The Mamakating Town Hall along Route 209 and the Town of Mamakating Park In Bloomingburg.

The City of Newburgh is urging residents to take stock of emergency supplies ahead of possible severe weather this weekend. Supplies include batteries, flash lights, first aid kits food and water.

The fire chief released a statement which reads, "The City government is coordinating with our County and State partners so that we can effectively respond to any emergency situation that may arise due to the storm.... By properly preparing in advance, we can quickly and decisively take action if the storm arrives."

Metro-North is also preparing for the upcoming hurricane. The agency says they're preparing for several different scenarios, including washouts, flooding, mudslides, fallen trees and downed power lines. They say the safety of their customers is of highest concern and urge anyone to check out their website for updates and service changes.

The Port Authority is also getting ready for Hurricane Irene. Crews are prepared for any flooding along the PATH interstate rail system with sandbags and pumps. The authority says infrastructure is also being checked an readied.

The Port Authority also says it's prepared to have full staff in place and the Office of Emergency Management mobile center activated.

NYC prepares for Irene

Hurricane Irene could hit New York City hard. As our Michael Herzenberg shows us, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is telling people to be prepared early.

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North Carolina homeowners worried about damage

Hurricane Irene has the Outer Banks in its crosshairs. That has homeowners worried and visitors headed out of town. Our Rebecca Fath caught up with those making the trek west away from the storm.

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NYPD says they are prepared for Irene

The New York City Police Department has its own plan to make sure they are prepared for Irene. Our Dean Meminger reports.

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Life before the storm

People along the Carolina coast spent Thursday preparing for Hurricane Irene. Some spent the day boarding up windows while others took to the water for some surfing. Our Kevin Reopelle shows us what life is like before the storm.