Harvard has been lucky this summer, free of the extended periods of extreme heat that have settled over other parts of the country or the torrents of rain that swept away homes, streets, and part of the commuter rail line in Leominster this week. It’s unlikely, however, that the town’s luck will last forever.
Scientists tell us that we can expect more frequent periods of severe weather as Earth’s atmosphere and oceans continue to warm. As winter approaches, we’re reminded of past ice storms and extreme snowfall that have paralyzed the town for days. And with El Niño at its height, which tends to bring warmer and wetter conditions to New England, both kinds of events are more likely this year—depending, of course, on the confluence of other factors that influence winter weather in New England.
Which leads us to ask, Is Harvard prepared? Every town in Massachusetts is required to have a written emergency plan, and Harvard, we’ve been reassured, has one. Past requests by the Press to review its contents have been denied, however, on the grounds that some information, such as how the town would handle an act of bioterrorism, should be kept secret. Still, there’s no reason that plans for dealing with extreme weather events couldn’t be shared.
Residents need to know whether such plans exist, what they are, how often they are updated, and what happens if the emergency team is sidelined for some reason. Why not ask Harvard’s emergency managers, led by Fire Chief Rick Sicard, to appear before the Select Board to explain how they plan to deal with the kinds of weather emergencies we might expect this winter? Hearing that well-considered preparations are in place would reassure everyone. And we think the public has a right to know.
