New York Prepares for Worst From Irene

By MICHAEL HOWARD SAUL New York City residents <a href="http://www.guccibags-discount.com/marc-jacobs-handbag-embossing-leather-off-white-p-5963.html"><strong>jacobs by marc jacobs backpack</strong></a> began fleeing low-lying areas Friday after Mayor Michael Bloomberg—in an unprecedented decision—ordered more than a quarter-million people to evacuate in advance of Hurricane Irene. The massive evacuation came as the authorities ordered the city's transportation system, including the subways, to shut down at noon on Saturday. Mr. Bloomberg warned the monster storm is "heading basically directly for us," and he strongly recommended New Yorkers—no matter their location in the five boroughs—remain indoors from 9 p.m. Saturday until 9 p.m. Sunday. The mandatory evacuation area includes swaths of Staten Island, South Brooklyn, Battery Park City and all of the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. The current forecast shows Hurricane Irene will arrive in the New York area as a Category 1 hurricane, with winds of 74 miles an hour or more beginning Sunday. Officials expect the storm to dump 8 to 12 inches of rain in the city, creating the potential for massive flooding. The mayor and other officials urged the public to begin the evacuation of the low-lying areas immediately because the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's decision to curtail all service—including subways, trains and buses—will make the move to higher ground infinitely more difficult once the shutdown takes effect. Officials also warned bridges will most likely be closed, and cab service may be suspended during the height of the storm. "Do not be fooled by the sun outside—that is the calm before the storm," Mr. Bloomberg warned during a televised news conference from City Hall Friday afternoon. "You can't wait until there are gale force winds and driving rains arrive. It will be too late then. You have to start your preparations to leave right now." Jay Walder, the MTA's chairman, said procrastinating would be unwise. "Please do not wait for the last train," he begged. On Rockaway Beach's Shorefront Road, many residents were boarding their windows Friday and leaving for safer land. Kimberly Ferina and her wife, Randi Savron, are going to stay with family on Long Island. Ms. Savron's 87-year-old mother-in-law lives with the couple. "It's better <a href="http://www.guccibags-discount.com/burberry-new-style-grid-shoulder-bag-36408811700-p-6853.html"><strong>burberry outlet locations</strong></a> to be safe than sorry," Ms. Ferina said. Kevin Breslin, 54 years old in Rockaway Beach, said he bought 30 50-pound sandbags to keep water out of the basement of his beachfront home. He wasn't going to stick around for Irene. "I have a 4-year-old son. It's not feasible to stay," he said. "I have five surfboards. I can paddle through anything but that's for single people." Sam Kille, a spokesman for the American Red Cross in the New York area, said he was most concerned that evacuation orders would be ignored. "Most people tend to think hurricanes don't hit here. They hit Florida, Louisiana, and Alabama," Mr. Kille said. "If people are told by government officials to evacuate, they really should heed those warnings because, obviously, by not doing so they are putting their lives at risk." Officials at power utilities said Friday they are bracing for significant damage and are expecting electricity and natural-gas outages throughout the region. Executives at New Jersey's Public Service Electric and Gas Co. feared outages could last weeks. In New York City, 14 miles of beaches will be closed on Saturday and Sunday. The city's Department of Buildings ordered all construction citywide to be suspended from 2 p.m. Saturday until 7 a.m. Monday. Also canceled were the Dave Matthews concert, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday on Governors Island, and the weekend Mets games. At least 91 storm shelters and evacuations centers opened Friday in New York City, but officials are hoping most evacuees will find lodging with friends and family. The city has capacity to house 70,000 temporarily. Police officers are slated to patrol streets in the evacuation areas and urge people via loud-speakers to head to higher ground, the mayor said. "They will say, 'Come on! Your life is in danger,'" Mr. Bloomberg said of the police. Asked about enforcement, NYPD chief spokesman Paul Browne said, "We're telling people to use common sense. We want to save lives, not make arrests." New Yorkers in high-rise buildings shouldn't believe they are out of danger, Mr. Bloomberg said. "There's always a risk of flying debris shattering windows, and that risk increases if you're in a high-rise, on the 10th floor or higher," Mr. Bloomberg said. Thousands on Friday also evacuated hospitals, nursing homes and senior facilities in the city's low-lying areas. Lavette Lewis, 29 years old, who was admitted to Coney Island <a href="http://www.cheapbeatsbydre-sales.com/beautiful-diddybeatsâ„¢-high-performance-inear-headphones-with-controltalkâ„¢-pink-p-286.html"><strong>cheapÂ*beatsÂ*byÂ*dre</strong></a> Hospital last week for seizures related to epilepsy, declined an offer Friday for a transfer to a Brooklyn facility. "My family is at home and I'd rather be with them during a storm than in the hospital," Ms. Lewis said. "They sent me home with all my medications, and I have my doctors' numbers if anything happens." Asked about New Yorkers' fears of looting in the evacuated areas, the mayor replied, "I think you can expect people in New York City to behave." With a storm this large, Mr. Bloomberg said, "the likelihood of tragedies exists." The city, he vowed, will "do everything we can to keep that from happening." &mdash;Pervaiz Shallwani, Erica Orden, Sean Gardiner, Andrew Grossman and Amber Benham contributed to this article. Write to Michael Howard Saul at michael.saul@wsj.com