storm

North Haven Fire Department Provides Updates on Storm Damage

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North Haven Fire Department
Paul Januszewski, Fire Chief
11 Broadway
North Haven, CT 06473

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 203-404-7751
Email: john@jgpr.net

North Haven Fire Department Provides Updates on Storm Damage

NORTH HAVEN —  Fire Chief Paul Januszewski reports that the North Haven Fire Department and Police Department have responded to more than 200 calls for service since the outbreak of severe weather earlier this afternoon.

Approximately 20 percent of the town is without power as of 7:30 p.m. Chief Januszewski expects this number to rise as The United Illuminating Company and fire crews work to remove hazards from the roadways. As trees and live wires are removed, electrical service will be cut to additional homes and businesses and work will begin to restore service as soon as possible.

The Town of North Haven has opened North Haven High School (221 Elm St.) as an area of refuge for citizens who need to go to a dry building and/or charge cell phones and electronic devices.

Any resident who requires transportation to the High School should call 203-239-5321, and a staff member will log names and addresses. Connecticut Transit has made a bus available that will pick up residents and bring them to NHHS.

Several dozen trees have fallen in town and there are reports of many trees and power lines that have fallen onto houses or vehicles. The North Haven Fire Department is working with the North Haven Building Office to ensure that all buildings are safe.

United Illuminating has opened its Emergency Operations Center and is working with cities and towns in its service area to prioritize and respond to calls for service and service restoration. The Town of North Haven is in constant communication with UI.

DO NOT APPROACH DOWNED WIRES

Chief Januszewski urgently reminds all residents to assume that all downed wires are electrified. A person can be killed instantly by touching a live electrical wire. Do not approach downed wires.

If you are in a vehicle that has come into contact with downed wires, remain in the vehicle and dial 911.

Residents who lose power are reminded of generator safety guidelines:

  • Never, ever run a generator indoors or in a garage. Run it outside, away from air intakes, and aim the exhaust away from the house.
  • Ensure that homes have a bypass system installed OR turn the main breaker OFF when using a generator, as electricity can travel back into the grid and endanger utility workers.

SEVERAL MAIN ROADS BLOCKED — MULTIPLE CRASHES ON I-91

Clintonville Road, Broadway, and Hartford Turnpike are all affected by downed trees and debris.

Blocked roadways and crashes on I-91 have hampered the ability of the Fire Department to call in off-duty resources, but Chief Januszewski has staffed an additional engine company, and all volunteer firefighters are on standby at this time.

Residents should expect some roads to be closed until mid-day Wednesday.

Chief Januszewski urges patience, as the suddenness and ferocity of this storm has stretched resources statewide.

“Your emergency crews are working diligently to ensure everyone’s safety. Right now, the best thing for everyone to do is stay home, stay indoors, and stay patient as we work to clear dangers and obstacles,” Chief Januszewski said. “We can take some solace in the fact that thus far, residents have listened, and there have been no life-threatening injuries.”

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Loans Available to Help Those in Winthrop Recover from March Nor’easter

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Town of Winthrop
Terence Delehanty, Town Manager
Winthrop Town Hall
1 Metcalf Square
Winthrop, MA 02152

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Loans Available to Help Those in Winthrop Recover from March Nor’easter

WINTHROP — Chief Terence M. Delehanty announces that loans are available to Winthrop citizens affected by a March nor’easter this past winter.

Gov. Charlie Baker requested and secured a disaster declaration for six counties from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including Suffolk County. Businesses, nonprofit organizations and individuals are now able to take out low-interest disaster relief loans provided by the federal government in order to repair damages done by the nor’easter on March 2-3, which caused more than $20 million worth of damage in Massachusetts.

Businesses and nonprofits are able to borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace real estate, equipment, inventory, and other assets. Interest rates as low as 3.58 percent are available for businesses and 2.5 percent for nonprofits.

Homeowners and renters can seek loans of up to $200,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed residences. Interest rates can be as low as 1.813 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years.

For more information or to apply for relief, visit the U.S. Small Business Administration online, call SBA’s customer service center at 800-659-2955 or send the organization an email.

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Canton Fire Department Advises Residents Ahead of Fourth Nor’easter This Month

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Canton Fire Department
Chief Charles E. Doody
99 Revere St.
Canton, MA 02021

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: ben@jgpr.net

Canton Fire Department Advises Residents Ahead of Fourth Nor’easter This Month

CANTON — Chief Charles E. Doody would like to advise Canton residents about another nor’easter coming to the region on Wednesday.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for Norfolk, Plymouth and Bristol counties, which will be in effect from  8 a.m. Wednesday until 8 a.m. Thursday. Snowfall is expected to begin after 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Canton could see between 9 to 15 inches of accumulation, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures during the storm are expected to be between 39 and 31 degrees. Wind gusts could reach speeds of up to 38 mph.

Travel is expected to be very difficult at times with significant reductions in visibility. As with the other recent storms, town officials are asking residents to stay off the roads during the storm.

BEFORE THE STORM

  • Residents should be prepared for power outages and stock up on batteries for flashlights or battery powered lanterns. If using candles, there should be a 3 foot ring of safety and be sure to keep them away from anything flammable or combustible.
  • Keep cell phones, laptops and tablets charged as much as possible. Consider a external battery for your devices.
  • Neighbors should talk with one another and set up plans to assist those who may be at risk and/or in need of help.

DURING THE STORM

  • Stay off the roads and stay indoors, if possible. Give plow and sand/salt trucks the space they need to operate.
  • If power goes out during the storm, contact Eversource at 800-592-2000 to report an outage. Residents can also call 211 or go online to mass211.org for more information on available shelters and warming centers in the event of an outage.
  • To report a gas leak, call 911. Residents can also contact Columbia Gas at 800-525-8222 for gas-related issues.
  • If you have an emergency, call 911. If you experience flooding in your home contact the Canton Fire Department at 781-828-1313.

AFTER THE STORM

  • Do not go near or drive over any downed power lines.
  • Clear snow from any gas vents attached to your home.
  • Assist the fire department by shoveling out any hydrants near your home.
  • Check your property for any trees that could be in danger of falling near your home or vehicles.
  • As the snow begins to melt, clear any debris from storm drains near your home to allow water to drain.
  • Do not pump water from sump pumps into the road. The water can freeze and cause hazardous conditions if the temperature dips.

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*Night Update* Bristol, Plymouth, Norfolk County Police and Fire Chiefs Provide Update on Today’s Nor’easter

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For Immediate Release
Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: ben@jgpr.net

*Joint Release*

Bristol, Plymouth Norfolk County Police and Fire Chiefs Provide Update on Today’s Nor’easter

Police and fire chiefs from Attleboro, Bridgewater, Canton, East Bridgewater, Easton, Holbrook, Randolph, Raynham, Taunton and Whitman would like to provide residents with an evening update on where the communities stand regarding today’s storm since the update from this afternoon.

Please note that some communities have opened up warming shelters.

Snow has steadily been falling throughout the day and the blizzard warning issued by the National Weather Service was scheduled to end at 8 p.m. Snowfall is expected to be done in the region between midnight and 2 a.m. Wednesday.

As of 8 p.m., there were about 191,000 residents in the state without power, according to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) outage map.

Now that it is dark, residents are still urged to stay off the roads as some areas are experiencing near-whiteout conditions.

Anyone who has an emergency should call 911.

ATTLEBORO

Fire Chief Scott. T. Lachance reports that there were about 2,000 residents without power as of 7 p.m. National Grid crews were in the city working to restore electricity.

A warming station will is open at the South Attleboro fire station, 1476 South Ave. Use the shelter to charge cell phones and electronic devices and to stay warm if you are without power. Anyone with questions about the warming station can call the Attleboro Fire Department at 508-222-2325.

While there have been multiple trees and wires down, almost all roads in Attleboro are currently open.

BRIDGEWATER

Police Chief Christopher Delmonte reports that the police department responded to approximately 50 storm-related calls beginning at 8 a.m. today. The fire department also responded to a similar number of calls.

As of 7:30 p.m. there were 687 residents without power. At the height of the storm the town had over 3,000 outages.

CANTON

Fire Chief Charles Doody reports that Canton had about 25 power outages as of 7:30 p.m.

In total, the fire department responded to 10 calls for service throughout the day.

EAST BRIDGEWATER

Police Chief Scott Allen and Fire Chief Timothy Harhen report that the police and fire departments responded to nearly 60 calls for service in relation to the storm beginning at 7:30 a.m. today.

Most of the calls were for road hazards, such as fallen trees and wires. The fire department provided mutual aid to West Bridgewater for a structure fire this afternoon and went to another call for burned food.

National Grid was in town actively working to restore about 618 outages as of 7:30 p.m. Please note, there is a power outage at the end of Central Street near the Hanson line that may not have power by the morning. Crews are working to make repairs.

Residents needing shelter for the night can go to a Red Cross regional shelter at the First Congregational Church at 254 Main St. in Plympton or the Plymouth North High School at 41 Obery St. in Plymouth.

While all roads are currently open and passable in town, residents are warned to use extreme caution and only drive if it is absolutely necessary.

EASTON

Fire Chief Kevin Partridge and Police Chief Gary Sullivan report that progress is being made in trying to get the number of power outages in Easton down. As of 5:40 p.m. there were about 1,900 residents without power. By 7:30 p.m that number was down to 866. National Grid has more than a dozen crews working in town.

The warming center at the Richardson-Olmsted Elementary School, 101 Lothrop St., will be open until 10 p.m. tonight. For details about the warming center or if you are in need of assistance, call the Easton Fire Department at 508-230-3311.

There were still a dozen streets in town that were closed because of road hazards as of 7:30 p.m.

HOLBROOK

Police Chief William Smith reports that Holbrook had three car crashes throughout the day — two where drivers collided with plow trucks and another where a driver struck a utility pole. None of the crashes resulted in serious injury.

As of 7:30 p.m. there were about 35 residents without power, according the MEMA outage map.

RANDOLPH

Police Chief William Pace reports as of 7:30 p.m. only about 160 residents in town did not have electricity. Crews were working to make repairs.

Most of the calls for service that the police department responded to were for fallen trees and downed wires.

RAYNHAM

Police Chief James Donovan reports that the police department responded to three crashes throughout the day, including one where a driver collided with a plow truck on Route 138. None of the crashes resulted in serious injury.

Chief Donovan says that if residents must drive, they should be aware that the road surfaces are inconsistent and uneven and to use caution. He also warns that wind and snow drifts have cause some stop signs and traffic lights to be covered with snow.

Fire Chief James Januse reports that Raynham still has a small amount of scattered power outages throughout town. There are four roads in Raynham that are currently blocked with fallen trees and wires.

In total, the police department responded to 58 calls for service and the fire department went to 26 calls as of 7:30 p.m.

TAUNTON

Fire Chief Timothy Bradshaw reports that the fire department spent most of the day responding to downed trees and wires. There were also multiple crashes and a number of medical calls, some related to shoveling and snow blowing.

There are still areas without power in the city, but all issues were being addressed in a timely manner.

The fire department is currently staffing six engines and two ladders with a total of 30 firefighters tonight, which is about eight more than are on-duty than on a typical day.

WHITMAN

Fire Chief Timothy Grenno reports that the Whitman Fire Department dealt with a variety of issues throughout the day including multiple fallen utility poles, trees that fell on cars and trees blocking roads.

As of 7:30 p.m. there was about 1 percent of the town without power.

A warming center will be opening up at the Whitman-Hanson Regional High School at 9 a.m. for residents who need to utilize it.

Chief Grenno asks that residents shovel out fire hydrants that are near homes, which will help in the event of a fire.

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