FEMA Sends Food, Water For Groton

The Connecticut Army National Guard delivered enough bottled water and "meals ready to eat" food (MREs) to Poquonnock Plains Park today, and the items will be distributed in a first-come-first-served fashion beginning at 12 p.m. 

Director of Emergency Management Joe Sastre said he the supplies were made available by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and were delivered this morning from Hartford. Sastre said he could use some volunteers in handing out the supplies. 

"It's not hard work, it's just handing out stuff," he said. 

Sastre said the supplies will be rationed 1- to 2- litres of water and two MREs per person, per day for three days.  

"In other words, one person will get six MREs," he said. 

Sastre did not know what entrees are packed in the MREs, but named southwest spicy chicken as a likely option. 

"Come on down and get one," he said. "That way you can see what the fine men and women in our military have all the time." 

Hurricane Irene, which was downgraded to a tropical storm before it hit Groton Sunday blew down trees and power lines throughout town. On Wednesday morning, CL&Ps website was reporting approximately 71 percent of its Groton customers are still waiting for electricity to be restored.  

Groton Utilities restored approximately 98 percent of their customer's electricity by Tuesday. 

Sastre said he the supplies are made available by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and were delivered this morning from Hartford. The supplies will be available at Poquonnock Plains Park until 6 p.m. or "whenever we run out, whichever comes first," Sastre said.