Maine Governor Signs Limited Emergency Declaration as Hurricane Sandy Approaches

Hurricane Sandy continues to bear down on the East Coast. The National Weather Service reports that although the massive storm should turn ashore in the mid-Atlantic states, the effects will be felt in Maine.

So far, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland,Deleware, Virginia and the District of Columbia have declared states of emergency. North Carolina issued states of emergency for 40 coastal counties.  Here in Maine, Governor Paul LePage has signed a limited Emergency Declaration that will allow power crews from other states and/or Canada to help Maine prepare for the approaching storm.

Forecasters say this is still an extremely complex system to forecast.  It appears likely that the outer bands of the hurricane will hit Maine on Monday, into Tuesday with dangerously strong winds, heavy rains, high surf and potential coastal erosion.   The Maine Emergency Management Agency  said Immediate concerns are for downed trees and power lines, and the potential for flash flooding.

MEMA Director Rob McAleer urged Maine residents to "pay close attention to the latest weather forecasts and warnings for your area... The first step to staying safe is to stay tuned."

Here are some other important steps to take before the storm:

* Check out Maine Prepares  to make sure you're aware of potential dangers

* Check on your emergency supplies such as batteries, water, food and medications.

* Check on neighbors, relatives and friends who might need help getting ready for the storm, or cleaning up after it.

* Check in with family in areas where the storm might hit harder. Ensure that you know how to contact each other quickly. Text messaging is a great way to get quick "I'm okay" messages through.

Bookmark this post as we will continue to update it will the latest on the ‘Frankenstorm.’ You can send your hurricane Sandy pictures and video to our Digital Managing Editor Sasha Spielman at sasha.spielman@townsquaremedia.com.