Hurricane Irene: Patrick Declares State Of Emergency In Mass.
FRAMINGHAM (AP) -- Gov. Deval Patrick has declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts and is mobilizing 2,500 members of the National Guard as Hurricane Irene approaches.
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Patrick told a briefing at the state's emergency management headquarters in Framingham on Friday that Irene is expected to have a significant impact on Massachusetts, arriving Saturday night with the brunt of the storm expected on Sunday afternoon.
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He urged Massachusetts residents to stay off the roads over the weekend as much as possible.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Bernice Corpuz reports
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The governor said state officials are coordinating with utilities to make sure that early response teams are ready in the event of widespread power outages.
He also said state reservoirs are being drawn down to help absorb rainfall and minimize flooding.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
