NK Schools Closed Through Tuesday

North Kingstown schools will be closed at least through Tuesday as Hurricane Sandy barrels toward the coast.

School districts across the state are cancelling school in anticipation of the storm, which is expected to make landfall near New Jersey. At noon today, Governor Lincoln Chafee declared a state of emergency. The decision to cancel the day for state workers will be made later today by his office.

According to Kevin McBride of the Rhode Island National Guard, already there are 2,100 National Grid employees stationed and on-call in anticipation of power outages. About 200 National Guard members are also available.

Senator Jack Reed says a FEMA response team is already on the ground in Rhode Island. He said the Congressional delegation – himself, Sheldon Whitehouse, Jim Langevin and David Cicilline – secured support from the federal government via letter two days ago.

Pretty much everyone speaking is stressing one thing – It’ll be the duration of the storm, as opposed to the intensity, that will be the problem.

Follow the storm with North Kingstown Patch's 'Cane Blog here.