By and large, Mainers don’t experience the wholesale damage from hurricanes seen in areas to the south.

But that doesn’t mean we don’t know how to prepare for it.

Thursday was a constant stream of press releases and news announcements as Mainers dug in and began to brace for a weekend visit from Irene.

With high winds and heavy rain expected, Central Maine Power was preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.

“With the storm still several days away, our preparations are primarily focused on communications and securing resources,” said Tom Depeter, director of operations for CMP. “We’re in close communication with state and local emergency management officials. We’ve put our own people on notice, and we’ve contacted utility companies and contractors in Maine, in other states, and in Canada to make sure we can bring in extra crews if we need their assistance.”

A hurricane, for a public works employee, is like the Super Bowl. In Lewiston on Thursday, workers were preparing to make sandbags, ready their equipment and remove anything that might become a projectile in high wind.

On the other side of the downtown, Androscoggin Unified Emergency Management Agency Director Joanne Potvin was completely in control of the situation. She had advised the schools, fire departments, police agencies and public works on what to expect and how to be ready.

Super Bowl? Not quite.

“The Ice Storm of 1998, that was like the Super Bowl,” Potvin said. “This is like just an ordinary football game.”

Potvin, who was supposed to start a vacation this week, got through Hurricane Gloria in 1985 and Bob in 1991. She expects Irene to be a cross between those two: a lot of downed wires and tree branches and power outages.

No plans have been made to open shelters, but if it comes to that, Potvin and her crew are prepared to house both man and beast. After Hurricane Katrina caused so much devastation, new laws were passed.

“Now, when we open a people shelter, we have to open one for the animals, too,” Potvin said. “For some people, a dog is like a child.”

During Katrina, some people died rather than leave their animals behind. With that in mind, the Lewiston Armory will be opened as a pet shelter — staffed by men and women trained in caring for animals during emergencies — should that need arise.

First day of school?

Maybe.

School superintendents said Thursday they didn’t know whether there would be school Monday, which is supposed to be the day schools open in Lewiston-Auburn.

“The thought of calling off the first day of school is not inviting at all,” Lewiston Superintendent Bill Webster said. “We’re looking at the weather forecast with a keen interest.”

“Everybody’s alert,” Auburn Superintendent Katy Grondin said. “Right now, we’re getting emergency phone numbers up to date. Over the weekend, we’ll work to be sure we have what we need.”

“No-school” talks will start on Sunday, and any decision to call off school will be late Sunday or early Monday, Grondin said. That call will be made after talking to public safety officials and Lewiston officials, since both cities call off school together.

If by Sunday officials are predicting power outages, flooding and high wind, schools will not open, Grondin and Webster said. “If we do have school Monday, students will stay there the whole day,” Webster said.

Up in the air

The Great State of Maine Air Show should be under way as planned Friday and Saturday, but Sunday? Too soon to say, according to its website. Organizers will make a decision as they get new details about the approaching weather system. Anyone planning to attend the show can call 888-695-0888 or visit the website.

Travel plans? Take the CMP approach, airport officials say: Hope for the best but expect the worst.

Flight schedules at Portland International Jetport might be affected and some flights may be delayed or canceled, mainly to the storm-affected areas if weather conditions deteriorate, airport officials said at mid-day Thursday.

Passengers are strongly encouraged to check with their individual airlines on the status of flights before arriving at the airport. Travelers can find more information at the airport website.

With so many Mainers living near water, the Maine Marine Patrol and Maine Warden Service are asking mariners and boaters to make plans to safeguard their vessels from Irene.

“These agencies are advising boaters that they should make plans well in advance of the storm so that definite docking, mooring or hauling out of the vessel arrangements can be performed quickly and without delay,” Warden Service spokeswoman Edie Smith said in a press release.

Worried about Spot or Muffin?

Go to read.gov and scroll around. You’ll find all kinds of tips on how to keep your pet happy and healthy during a crisis.

For starters: “Keep in mind that what’s best for you is typically what’s best for your animals,” according to the Ready American people. “If you must evacuate, take your pets with you, if possible. However, if you are going to a public shelter, it is important to understand that animals may not be allowed inside. Plan in advance for shelter alternatives that will work for both you and your pets.

“Make a backup emergency plan in case you can’t care for your animals yourself. Develop a buddy system with neighbors, friends and relatives to make sure that someone is available to care for or evacuate your pets if you are unable to do so. Be prepared to improvise and use what you have on hand to make it on your own for at least three days, maybe longer.”

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Tips from the Maine Emergency Management Agency

If forecasters are beginning to talk about a hurricane or tropical storm possibly affecting Maine, get prepared now. Even though we’ve given you some approximate times to do things, remember that when hurricanes approach New England, they often speed up rapidly. You don’t have as much time as you think.

Three days before:

* Check your disaster supply kit. If you remain in your home, do you have everything you need for at least three days, with no power? Go to the store now, and pick up the things you don’t have. Beat the rush.

* Do you have everything you need if you have to leave your home? Begin putting together a “go kit” now. Get your important family papers together. Consider where you would go. If you might have to go to a shelter, make sure you have the basic needs for your family.

Two days before:

* Fill up your car with gasoline.

* Visit your bank or the ATM and take out some extra cash. The amount can depend on your family size and needs. An extended power outage might make it hard to obtain cash, or for merchants to process credit cards.

One day before:

* Leave your home if advised to do so. Don’t wait. If you wait too long, and then need help, you will be putting responders at risk. Or they simply will not be able to reach you.

* Secure all outside furniture or other objects that could be caught by the wind.

* Board up exposed windows, or tape them up to reduce the potential of shattering glass.

* Surf will be high as the storm approaches. Stay away from the water. It is dangerous to go to the beach to see the waves. Rocks and shells carried by the wind can cause serious injury or death. You can lose your balance in the wind. The strong surf can sweep you, your child or your dog away in seconds.

* If you have livestock, make sure they have a secure shelter. Move them into shelter before the storm becomes too strong.

* If you are staying in your home, begin closely monitoring weather broadcasts. Get your portable radio tuned to a station that is carrying emergency information. Make sure your NOAA Weather Radio is operating properly.

During the storm:

* Bring your pets inside and stay in your home as the storm approaches. Stay away from large windows; go to the basement or an inside room if it appears your home is being damaged by the high wind.

* Don’t be fooled by a sudden calm. It may be the eye of the storm and last only 15 to 30 minutes. The storm will resume with greater intensity and the wind will be from the opposite direction.

* Do not go out until assured by official weather reports that the storm has passed.

Immediately after the storm:

* Begin to assess the damage to your home.

* If you can get out, stay away from flooded areas and downed power lines.

* Check on your neighbors, especially those who might need extra help.

Central Maine Power tips

* Stay clear of downed power lines and trees or limbs that may be tangled in the lines. These should be considered live and dangerous. Call (800) 696-1000 to report downed lines.

* Stay out of flooded basements because energized wiring or outlets below the water line may pose a hazard. If your basement or home is in danger of flooding, contact CMP to turn off your electricity.

* Use caution when approaching utility crews in the roadway. The working conditions are difficult, and they will appreciate your consideration for their safety.

* To report an outage, call (800) 696-1000. Your call will automatically generate a work order for the repairs.

* Keep battery-operated flashlights and radios on hand, along with fresh batteries.

* Have enough drinking water and nonperishable food available for your household for several days.

* Have a cell phone or land-line telephone available. Remember, cordless phones won’t work during a power outage.

* If you use an emergency heating source, such as a wood stove, fireplace or kerosene heater, keep fuels away from the flames and be sure to ventilate properly.

* Never use grills or camp stoves indoors — they can give off dangerous gases.

For customers with generators:

* Carefully read and observe all instructions in the owner’s manual.

* Don’t run a generator indoors, even in an open garage.

* Hire a licensed electrician to install permanent generators and transfer switches.

* Make sure portable generators are properly grounded.

* Don’t store fuel indoors or try to refuel a generator while it’s running.

* Refer to CMP’s web page on generator safety.

Additional information on storm safety and restoration can be found on CMP’s website at www.cmpco.com.