Middle River Bayfront residents prepare for Hurricane Isaias

As Hurricane Isaias approaches the Baltimore region, people living along Chesapeake Bay in Middle River are preparing for what’s to come.

COVERAGE TONIGHT.

WMAR-2 NEWSEDDIE KADHIM IS STANDING BY ATTHE INNER HARBOR TONIGHT, TOTELL US ABOUT HOW PEOPLE INTHE CITY ARE PREPARING FOR THESTORM.

BUT FIRST, LET'S SENDIT OVER TO RAY STRICKLAND, WHOLEARNED HOW A FIRE DEPARTMENTIN MIDDLE RIVER IS GETTINGREADY FOR ANY ISSUES THE STORMMAY CAUSE.YEAH THE BOWLEYFIRE DEPARTMENT HERE HASCOMPLETED PHASE ONE OF THEIRMAJOR STORM OPERATIONS PLAN.PART OF THAT MEANS GETTING ALLOF THEIR VEHICLES ANDEQUIPMENT READY FOR WHATCOME.

AND IF YOU REMEMBER,THIS AREA OF MIDDLE RIVER WASHIT HARD BY TROPICAL STORMISABEL IN 2003.

BOTH THE FIREDEPARTMENT AND RNEIGHBORS HEREARE USING LESSONS LEARNED THTO PREPARE FOR ISAIAS.As Hurricane Isaias approachesthe Baltimore area.

Peopleliving along Chesapeake Bay inMiddle River are preparing forwhat17“Pickup anything that canfloat” Susie Sudek owns awaterfront property on Bay Dr.She spent some of the daypicking up debris in her yard.Susie Sudek 27 20“Most of thedamage comes from debrisfloating.

Almost all of us nowpickup anything that canfloat.

Sudek also tied downher boat and patio furniture.Some of the lessons shelearned after Tropical StormIsabel destroyed her propertyand many more in this areanearly 20 years ago.

SusieSudek 27 44“We had four and ahalf feet of water on thefirst level” Susie Sudek 2752“Preparation is important.Before then, everybody waslike oh you get water in yourfront yard, no big deal , youclean uo the debris thatfloats.

Now everybody picks upeverything” Shannon Stallings12 26“Isabel was the stormthat we based all of ouroperations off of because itthe worst we have ever seen”Shannon Stallings is the FireChief at BowleyFire Department.

ShannonStallings 9:17“We know fromexperience through tropicalstorm isabel several years agothat preparedness is the onlyway we can safely get everyoneout of the community ” Hesays the department completedPhase 1 of their major stormoperations plan, whichincludes getting their trucksand equipment ready to go.

Italso means marking areas thatare prone to flood ShannonStallings 10 26“one we wantthe residents to be able tosee the water may be deeperthan they think and two areresponding peronnel need toknow how deep the water is inthese areas” Susie Sudek 2545“wejust part of living on thewater.

As for Sudek, she'shoping iton the bay, but is ready forwhatever comes her way..

SusieSudek 25 56“I mean what areyou going to do.

You canstop it”AND THE FIRE CHIEF HERE SAYSHIS ADVICE TO RESIDENTS IS TLISTEN TO YOUR LOCAL OFFICIAFOR ANY IMPORTANT UPDATES.

HEALSO SAYS TO HAVE AN EMERGENCYKIT HANDYAND TO PREPARE TOEVACUATE IF THAT BECOMESNECESSARY.

LIVE IN MIDDLERIVER, RAY STRICKLAND, WMAR-2NEWS.IN BALTIMORE CITY PEOPLE INLOW LYING AREAS ARE PREPARITO FEND OFF FLOODED BASE