As Wayne Jerman was being sworn in as the new police chief in Cedar Rapids, Hurricane Sandy was bearing down on his former community in Maryland.

Jerman, who hails from Montgomery County, just northwest of Washington D.C., said his old stomping grounds were “getting hammered.” He said called back home Sunday night, and someone from his area who told him the prediction was for 70 mph winds today.

“They’ve already activated the emergency operations center,” Jerman said. “They’ve closed D.C., they’ve closed the county government and they’ve closed the colleges and schools.”

Jerman’s wife Terri and daughter Bridgette were supposed to fly back to Maryland on Tuesday, but that flight had already been canceled by Monday morning.

“I just hope they have a house to get back to,” Jerman said.