Boats are being secured, utility and tree trimming trucks are gassed up and ready to go, and some residents are being advised to flee as Tropical Storm Henri makes its way up the East Coast.

If it makes landfall as a hurricane, as the warning issued Friday by the National Weather Service suggests, it will be the first one to hit New England in 30 years.

The City of Groton late Friday afternoon became the first municipality to issue a voluntary evacuation advisory, asking residents on Shore Avenue, Beach Pond Road, Jupiter Pond Road and Pine Island Road to get out by 10 p.m. Saturday. Mayor Keith Hedrick said the city is notifying residents through a reverse 911 call and on Facebook.

He said once the areas are flooded, the city will not be able to send in emergency personnel to get people out.

The National Weather Service late Friday afternoon issued a hurricane warning from New Haven to Watch Hill, R.I., with a hurricane watch extending from Watch Hill to Cape Cod. A storm surge warning was issued from Greenwich to the Cape.

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Gov. Ned Lamont announced Friday he will be requesting a presidential pre-landfall emergency declaration to secure federal assistance. He also called for the activation of 200 members of the Connecticut National Guard beginning Saturday morning. The troops will be responsible for duties involving high-wheeled vehicle search and rescue, route clearance, power generation and commodities distribution.

Some forecasts predict the storm will move into the area sometime between Saturday night into Sunday morning and is projected to hit two different high-tide cycles, which increases the risk of flooding in shoreline areas, Hedrick said.

Gary Lessor, of the Meteorological Studies and Weather Center at Western Connecticut State University, said the most likely model has Henri making landfall Sunday in the New Haven area — but there is also a good chance it will hit farther east. He put the chances of a New Haven landfall at 50%, with the odds for farther east at 40% and farther west at 10%.

He said rain is likely to begin falling just after 3 a.m. Sunday. The region could see 1 to 3 inches of rainfall if the storm comes ashore in New Haven, though he said there could be as many as 2 to 5 inches if it tracks farther east.

Lessor predicted the strongest winds will last from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with sustained winds starting at 25 mph and reaching 45 mph "for a time." Peak gusts are likely to hit 55-65 mph and there is the possibility of isolated gusts from 70-75 mph, especially around the immediate coastline.

Steady rain could be over by mid-afternoon with just a few showers afterward, he said.

Utilities getting ready

Eversource spokesman Mitch Gross said the utility company is mobilizing upward of 4,000 crews to respond to outages that it predicts could affect as many as 49% of customers.

CEO Joe Nolan is in touch with other utility companies around the country to assemble the crews and Eversource has secured about 4,000 hotel rooms. The company will be staging at the Crystal Mall in Waterford and is working to set up other locations in the state, Gross said.

Hedrick said Groton Utilities' electric and water divisions are bringing in full staffing Sunday in anticipation of outages, and public works is bringing in a crew in the event that trees need to be cleared off roads for first responders.

If people lose power, they can report outages to the GU customer service line at (860) 446-4000.

Outages are anticipated for the Groton and Bozrah area, based on ground saturation and that trees could be knocked down, he said.

Norwich officials met Friday to prepare for the storm. The city’s Emergency Operations Centers at Norwich Public Utilities headquarters, 16 S. Golden St., will be activated if necessary.

NPU is preparing for "a major storm event" that it said "will likely result in widespread power outages." General Manager Chris LaRose said if there is heavy damage, full restoration could take days.

NPU has been tracking the storm this week and preparing for its impacts, NPU spokesman Chris Riley said. All NPU vehicles have been inspected and fueled, supplies and equipment checked and staffing levels will be adequate to respond to the storm. Tree-removal contractors are on standby, and NPU has reached out to other utilities to discuss possible mutual aid, he said.

If widespread power outages occur, NPU will provide regular updates on its Facebook page with information and restoration time projections when possible. It also will deploy its automated calling system to provide updates and information to customers as necessary.

NPU’s Customer Service Center will take calls at (860) 887-2555 throughout the weekend. Any downed wire should be assumed to be energized and a potentially lethal hazard, the utility warns, and should be reported to 911 immediately.

NPU's water treatment plants and wastewater treatment plant will be staffed throughout the storm and have back-up generators in the event of a power loss.

City Manager John Salomone said the city’s six fire departments will be included in storm preparations, as the city could experience flooding with the storm. The Yantic River in Yantic and Norwichtown is prone to flooding during deluges.

Sunday also is expected to have astronomical high tides, bringing a potential storm surge up the Thames River just as rain-swelled waters in the Yantic and Shetucket rivers reach Norwich Harbor, Salomone said. Howard T. Brown Memorial Park could experience flooding as a result, and might be closed to the public.

Businesses in 'storm mode'

Thamesport Marina in New London was in storm mode Friday, getting word out to boat owners to check and, where appropriate, double up lines holding boats to docks. Thamesport Marina Assistant Manager Owen Wheeler said there are 110 boats at the marina and the key to preventing damage is keeping them secure.

He said he was likely to tuck away any boats in exposed locations, such as at floating docks. Some owners may opt to pull out their boats.

New London Dockmaster Barbara Neff said she expects the tall ship Peacemaker to move off City Pier to a more protected location nearby. She remains in contact with the captain of the Coast Guard barque Eagle, also docked at the pier.

Also located on the city's waterfront is City Dock Restaurant and Oyster Bar, which opened earlier this year with conditions, including one that it be able to move the entire operation in the event of a storm. Plans for the restaurant remain unclear.

Meanwhile, City Center District has been taking down the 150 large hanging flower baskets decorating the downtown.

Electric Boat officials at facilities in Groton and Quonset Point, R.I., were preparing Friday for higher-than-normal tides and high winds forecasted for Sunday and tapering off Monday, company spokesman Gregory Rose said. A few projects planned for the weekend have been delayed until early next week "out of an abundance of caution," he said, but ongoing projects should remain on schedule.

Naval Submarine Base spokesperson Chris Zendan said the base in Groton is increasing its Tropical Cyclone Conditions of Readiness to TCCOR 3, meaning winds of 50 knots or greater are possible within 48 hours. He said departments and tenant commands are taking appropriate measures, such as increasing submarine mooring to heavy weather mooring, doubling up lines on small boats, installing flood gates in front of doors on some waterfront buildings and taking down removable awnings.

The Coast Guard is reminding people to stay off the water, saying, "Hurricanes and tropical storms can be deadly and our ability to conduct rescues can be diminished or non-existent at the height of a storm." It's also asking owners to move large boats to inland marinas, and urging boaters to double mooring lines and secure life jackets and small boats.

At the Coast Guard Academy, Petty Officer Matt Abban said tree maintenance was just done, personnel are doing accountability checks to make sure their whereabouts are known during and after the storm, and the academy is keeping in close contact with other Coast Guard units.

Keeping an eye on forecast

In Groton City, Hedrick said staff members are clearing the beach of benches and picnic tables and buckling down items. He said the city anticipates closing Eastern Point Beach at 6 p.m. Saturday, so the public will be off the beach.

A recent weather briefing projected that the storm could be an event like Superstorm Sandy, with 5 to 6 inches of rain, gusts up to 60 mile per hour, coastal flooding and 3- to 5-foot storm surges, Hedrick said.

If the storm is projected to turn west, the evacuation of Shore Avenue, Beach Pond Road, Jupiter Pond Road and Pine Island Road could potentially be upgraded to mandatory, he said. If it does, the city will be knocking on doors in those areas to inform residents. If people have questions regarding the evacuation, they can call police dispatch at (860) 445-2451.

He will have a briefing Saturday on the updated storm projections.

Groton Town Police Capt. Jay Bee has been tracking weather and keeping town staff informed, Groton Town Manager John Burt said.

Town Public Works Director Greg Hanover has all equipment and vehicles checked and gassed. Crews have been prepped to be brought in on Sunday and possibly Saturday night, Burt said. "We're making sure we'll be as ready as we can be for whatever weather comes our way."

People can call town police at (860) 441-6712 if they need nonemergency assistance during the storm.

Preston Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director Tom Casey said most advanced preparations, such as sharpening cutting tools and fueling town vehicles, were completed by Friday morning. Preston’s greatest concerns with big storms are downed trees and wires and power outages. The town does not have regular flooding spots but will be prepared for street and flash flooding.

East Lyme Emergency Management Director and police Chief Mike Finkelstein said all town departments are involved in the storm response, from public works staff preparing generators to senior center employees reaching out to vulnerable residents to make sure they have sufficient medical supplies or treatments they need.

"There's no department that is untouched," he said, "and certainly they all play a role, if not in the preparation, then in the recovery efforts."

Day Staff Writers Kimberly Drelich, Claire Bessette, Greg Smith and Brian Hallenbeck contributed to this report.

t.hartz@theday.com

e.regan@theday.com 

Tips to prepare for Storm Henri

Norwich Public Utilities provided these tips to prepare for Tropical Storm Henri expected to hit the region this weekend:

Prepare an emergency preparedness kit, including a flashlight, batteries, cash and first aid supplies. Have alternative charging methods for phones or any critical device that requires power.

Charge cellphones and any battery-powered devices before the storm.

Know where the manual release lever of your electric garage door opener is located and how to operate it.

Purchase ice or freeze water-filled plastic containers to help keep food cold during a power outage.

Fill your car's gas tank beforehand, as gas stations rely on electricity to power their pumps.

If you use your car to recharge devices, do NOT keep the car running in a garage, partially enclosed space or close to a home, as this can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.

If using an electric generator, make sure it has been installed by a licensed electrician. A generator that has been improperly installed can send electricity back onto the electrical system, creating a potentially lethal hazard for utility employees.

Only operate a generator outdoors. Anyone dependent on an electrical-powered medical device, make sure you have a back-up plan — a secondary source of power or another place to go after the storm if you lose power.