Coastal Communities Bracing For Tropical Storm Elsa

PLYMOUTH (CBS) - For the agencies that keep us safe there is no calm before the storm. It was a busy day in coastal communities like Plymouth Thursday - making sure everyone and everything is ready to go.

In between emergency calls, there was no down time for Plymouth firefighters. They were double and triple checking their engines and equipment - ensuring 'Elsa' throws them no surprises. That means running generators, checking auxiliary pumps, and prepping the vehicles that plow right into water.

Plymouth beaches will be closed at least all day Friday - with town leaders warning neighbors conditions will be dangerous.

"We don't typically get a lot of rip current around here so it would be something different for people and we don't want them to get caught in that problem," said Chief Ed Bradley.

Different seasons of course present different challenges during storms - so the checklists include some extra tools.

"This time of year, the trees are all covered with leaves so we're expecting we'll probably have some trees and limbs come down and probably some power outages," Bradley added.

In Plymouth they'll reevaluate the beach openings Saturday after assessing any damage and current conditions.