update

UPDATE #66 (6 p.m.) Town of Andover Provides Update on Restoration Process Following Gas Emergency

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 617-993-0003

UPDATE #67 (6 p.m.) Town of Andover Provides Update on Restoration Process Following Gas Emergency

ANDOVER — The Town of Andover continuously seeks to provide residents and business owners with key updates regarding the ongoing recovery and restoration efforts following the Merrimack Valley Gas Emergency.

Restoration Timeline

The “House Ready” process is expected to be completed between Dec. 2 and Dec. 16, and a Rapid Re-light process has been implemented that will result in gas service being restored ahead of Dec. 2.

Gas service has been restored to more than 60 percent of businesses and 42 percent of residential gas customers in Andover, North Andover and Lawrence who lost service in the crisis that began on Sept. 13.

As of Friday, 56 percent of all Andover residents who lost gas service have had their service restored.

Nine more Andover businesses had service restored on Friday. This means that 72 percent or 156 of the 217 commercial gas customers in the affected area have now had their service restored. However, 61 Andover businesses remain without gas service.

Columbia Gas releases a daily briefing with updates on the progress of the restoration effort. Click here to read the briefing for Nov. 10.

Hot water heaters, stoves and dryers will be replaced and boilers and furnaces will be safely repaired or replaced with those being repaired eventually being replaced beginning in the spring.

Appliance Disposal

The disposal of condemned or replaced appliances is part of the recovery and restoration process. Your appliances will be removed and picked up by Columbia Gas or its contractors. Residents and business owners should not endure any cost for disposing of appliances.

#AndoverBiz Social Media Campaign

Wednesday, a group of town officials, high school students and public relations students from a Northeastern University School of Journalism class took to downtown Andover, visiting more than 30 town businesses and Tweeting with the hashtags   .

The students took photos inside each business to call attention to the vibrant and diverse group of shops and service providers who have persevered through the Merrimack Valley Gas Emergency for nearly two months.

You can view some of the results on the Town of Andover Twitter Page.

After the social medial campaign Wednesday afternoon, the volunteers were treated to a free pizza party courtesy of Bertucci’s on Main Street.

Free Parking Downtown

The Town of Andover is not currently collecting parking fees at municipal parking lots. The Town encourages downtown visitors to park in the municipal parking lots. This includes Lot 1 (between Andover Village Square and Caffé Nero), Lot 2 (behind Old Town Hall) and Lot 3 (Park Street Village). This will be evaluated on a weekly basis.

Information for Landlords and Tenants

Attorney General Maura Healey’s office has released information for landlords and tenants affected by the Merrimack Valley Gas Emergency, which can be viewed in full here. 

As a first step, the Attorney General’s Office encourages landlords and tenants to discuss the situation and work cooperatively to try to resolve issues. Landlords and tenants should discuss what claims each can make with Columbia Gas. For example, landlords should file claims for lost rent with Columbia Gas. Neither landlords nor tenants should suffer any financial loss. Columbia Gas is responsible for all losses caused by the gas explosions.

Tenants and landlords should be aware of their rights, duties, and protections under Massachusetts law. Tenants or landlords who are having problems can call the Attorney General’s Merrimack Valley Hotline at 617-573-5370 for help. Affected residents can request temporary alternative housing by calling Columbia Gas at 1-800-590-5571.

Self Mitigation Information

Columbia Gas has provided information on how residents can expedite the gas disaster mitigation process on their own.

For those who decide to go about repairing or replacing their own appliances, there are several steps that the utility has provided for residents interested in doing so.

To read the Columbia Gas mailer being sent to customers in full, click here.

The steps for self mitigation and restoration outlined in the mailer are:

  • Contact Columbia Gas and make the claims adjuster assigned to your case aware of your intention to self mitigate. Adjusters will walk residents and business owners through the process, including briefing them on the information they’ll need for later reimbursement. The Columbia Gas claims phone number is 1-800-590-5571.
  • Hire only licensed installers, who must obtain appropriate permits from the Town of Andover in order to complete the work. Work may include pressure testing, repair and replacement of gas lines, extension of outside gas lines, installation of appliances and completion of a town inspection. Once all of that work is completed, gas service may be restored to individual homes.
  • Work with a claims adjuster to purchase replacement equipment and appliances. Columbia Gas will reimburse customers for reasonable replacement costs of like kind and quality appliances, including making payments on their behalf or paying customers back for out-of-pocket costs.
  • Install equipment and appliances, and complete inspection. Once installation is complete, licensed installers will arrange a town inspection. Only work that has been appropriately permitted prior to completion will be eligible for an inspection.
  • Contact Columbia Gas for service restoration. Once inspections are complete, customers will receive either a green “house ready” tag, or an orange “house ready” tag depending on a home’s level of readiness for service restoration. To have service restored following self mitigation work, call 1-866-388-3239.

Save the Date: Holiday Happenings

Andover will celebrate its annual Holiday Happenings event on Friday, Dec. 7 from 4-8 p.m. The event will feature a variety of activities, including photos with Santa, carnival and train rides, shopping, dining, fireworks and more.

The event will be held across a variety of locations throughout downtown, including Old Town Hall, Memorial Hall Library, Andover Historical Society, Center at Punchard and the park at Chesnut and Bartlet Street.

Alternative Housing 

Andover residents still have the option to seek free alternative housing while their gas service remains offline. Housing options include apartments, hotels and temporary trailers, and are completely paid for by Columbia Gas.

As of Friday, 570 Andover residents were being lodged in alternate housing arrangements, including 22 people in apartments, 502 in hotels and 46 in RVs.

Impacted Columbia Gas customers who choose to be placed in alternative housing while their homes are without gas should call Columbia Gas’ Claims line: 800-590-5571.

Transportation arrangements will be provided for residents staying in hotels and apartments who do not have their own means of transportation.

A congregate shelter has been established for those in need. It is capable of hosting up to 1,000 people and will have hot meals available. The shelter is located at 46 Stafford St., Lawrence.

The congregate shelter has been established as a warming center with showers, and can accommodate residents for short-term overnight stays.

“Back to Business”

Columbia Gas has developed an integrated process to quickly restore business customers. The “Back-to-Business” initiative will assign a project manager to each business owner who will be responsible for addressing the businesses’ unique needs in order to make the business ready to receive natural gas. The project managers will proactively reach out to business owners to introduce themselves and will begin visiting businesses in the coming days.

Back to Business Centers

Under the direction of each project manager will be a fully integrated team including claims adjusters, plumbers, laborers and electricians to quickly restore business customers.

The “Back-to-Business” initiative’s integrated teams will work out of three business centers, located in each of the affected communities.  These centers will serve as the operation center for construction operations managers, claims representatives and linguists, and will work to build customized plans for each business based on their assessed needs.  While business owners will be hearing from their project manager proactively, these centers are open to the public should business owners choose to visit them during the claims and recovery process.

The locations of the “Back-to-Business” Centers are:

  • 439 South Union St., Lawrence: Construction Operations Manager Derrick Seitz
  • 45 Main St., Andover: Construction Operations Manager Jeff McCaples
  • 115 South Main St., North Andover: Construction Operations Manager Charlie Romano

The centers will be open from Tuesday to Friday from noon-8 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

To view businesses in Andover that are located in the affected and are currently open for business visit: www.andoverma.gov/andoverbiz 

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UPDATE #39 (4:30 p.m.) Town of Andover Provides Latest Information on Gas Emergency Recovery Process

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018

Media contact: John Guilfoil
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 617-993-0003

Town of Andover Provides Latest Updates on Gas Emergency Recovery Process

ANDOVER –The Town of Andover continuously seeks to provide residents and business owners with key updates regarding the ongoing recovery and restoration efforts following last month’s Merrimack Valley Gas Emergency.

Columbia Gas releases a comprehensive daily briefing with updates on the restoration and recovery process. Click here to read the Oct. 14 briefing.

Columbia Gas has an interactive map that tracks the progress of the restoration effort. The map will give residents and business owners a real-time look at the local recovery process in their individual neighborhoods and help the gauge when crews will be on their streets to conduct assessments.

Columbia Gas says it has replaced approximately 27 miles of service pipelines. A total of 15 construction crews are working in Andover today, with 62 crews expected on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Next week, Town Manager Andrew Flanagan will meet with the Andover Police Department and representatives from Columbia Gas to ensure that safety procedures are in place on all roadways so that Halloween trick-or-treating hours can occur on Wednesday, Oct. 31 from 5-7 p.m.

Details surrounding an information center specifically for businesses will be announced on Monday.

‘House Ready’ and Assessment Process Updates

All gas customers will need an assessment of their homes, including gas lines and appliances. Crews wearing identification continue to fan out across neighborhoods. The interactive map will alert residents about when they can expect an assessment crew.

In many cases, this process will take more than one day. Customers whose streets are listed must have someone over 18 years old at home on the listed day in order for work to commence. If an adult cannot be home on that day, crews will be back in the same neighborhood in the following days.

When possible, Columbia Gas is replacing gas-fired appliances immediately. The company has thousands of boilers, water heaters, clothes dryers and ranges in stock and more on order.

For additional information on this process, please visit: https://www.columbiagas.com/massachusetts/restoration

Click here to download a complete FAQ on the assessment process from Columbia Gas.

Andover is deploying town resources each day to support the assessment effort and assist residents.

Tax Extension for Merrimack Valley

For those affected by the recent gas emergency, the Massachusetts Department of Revenue recognizes that taxpayers in these areas might be unable to comply with their filing or payment due dates that occurred on or after the date of the explosions. The DOR announced Friday that it would like to assist taxpayers as much as possible.

The Department of Revenue is waiving all penalties associated with late-filed tax returns or payments that were due on or after Sept. 12 and before Nov. 1.

If any taxpayer in the affected areas receives a penalty for this period they should call 617-887-6367.

Free Parking Downtown

Due to the construction in the downtown area, the Town of Andover will not be collecting parking fees at municipal parking lots.  The Town encourages downtown visitors to park in the municipal parking lots. This includes Lot 1 (between Andover Village Square and Caffé Nero), Lot 2 (behind Old Town Hall) and Lot 3 (Park Street Village). This will be evaluated on a weekly basis.

Alternative Housing

As of Friday, the most recent numbers released, 581 Andover residents are currently in alternative housing, including hotels and trailers.

Impacted Columbia Gas customers who choose to be placed in alternative housing while their homes are without gas should call Columbia Gas’ Claims line: 800-590-5571.

Transportation arrangements will be provided for residents staying in hotels and apartments who do not have their own means of transportation.

For additional information and slides, see: Greater Lawrence Housing Options

Relief Fund and Claims Center

The Greater Lawrence Disaster Relief Fund has been established to provide assistance with short- and long-term shelter and sustenance needs. The Fund is being supported by donations from Columbia Gas and generous members of the community.

Resources from the GLDRF will support household units and businesses affected by the 7,500 damaged Columbia Gas meters on the low-pressure lines in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover who have been without gas since the crisis began.

To learn more and apply for assistance through the GLDRF, you can do so in one of the following ways:

1. Online at www.GLDRF.org

2. Over the phone by dialing 2-1-1, for those who cannot apply online

3. In person for anyone in need of assistance at Andover’s drop-in center.

GLDRF Hours Next Week:
Old Town Hall – 20 Main Street, Andover

Monday, Oct. 15: 4-6 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 16: 4-6 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 17: 4-6 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 18: 4-6 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 19: 4-6 p.m.

While residents and businesses are encouraged to apply online, they will be notified within three to five business days regarding the status of their application regardless of which method they use to apply for assistance.

The Claims Center will be open Monday through Friday, noon to 8 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Andover Elder Services Lunch Program

Andover Elder Services is continuing its lunch program. The lunch is available for those age 60 or older for a suggested donation of $2.50 or for those under age 60 for a cost of $4.50.

Free coffee, tea and daily snacks will be available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout this month, and Soup Nights will be held from 5-6 p.m. on Thursdays.

Programs take place at the Andover Senior Center, 30 Whittier Court.

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UPDATE #27 (8:25 p.m.) Town of Andover Provides Update on Gas Emergency Recovery Process

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, Oct. 1, 2018

Media contact: John Guilfoil
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 617-993-0003

Town of Andover Provides Update on Gas Emergency Recovery Process

ANDOVER –The Town of Andover wishes to provide residents and business owners with several key updates regarding the town’s ongoing recovery and restoration efforts following last month’s Merrimack Valley Gas Emergency.

Town officials will continue to provide regular updates as they’re made available.

Construction Schedule

Columbia Gas has provided the Town of Andover with a construction schedule that outlines when gas line repair work will occur, with the goal of making streets and homes “gas ready.”

In order for gas service to be restored, homes must be both house ready, with assessments done and in-home repairs complete, and gas ready, with main gas lines and home service lines replaced, and new meters installed.

The preliminary maps below indicate the timeline for when work will begin to make streets gas ready. These maps are subject to change.

Relief Fund

The Essex County Community Foundation announced today that the application process will open on Wednesday, Oct. 3 for residents and businesses seeking funding and services from the Greater Lawrence Disaster Relief Fund.

The Fund –– established by Governor Charlie Baker, Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera, and Andover and North Andover Town Managers Andrew Flanagan and Andrew Maylor on Sept. 18 –– was opened with a $10 million contribution from Columbia Gas and fundraising efforts continue by ECCF. Donations raised by ECCF’s Lawrence Emergency Fund are being combined towards this humanitarian relief effort. One hundred percent of these funds, currently over $10.85 million, will support the relief efforts and those who have been directly affected by this tragedy.

 

Beginning Wednesday, Oct. 3, the application process for the Fund’s financial resources will be open and those in the impacted area may apply in three ways, all of which are available in both English and Spanish:

  1. Online at www.GLDRF.org (link will be live October 3, this is the fastest and easiest way to apply)
  2. Over the phone by dialing 2-1-1, for those who cannot apply online
  3. In person for anyone in need of assistance at Andover’s drop-in center.

Old Town Hall – 20 Main Street, Andover
Wednesday, Oct. 3 – Noon – 8:00pm
Thursday, Oct. 4 – Noon – 8:00pm
Friday, Oct. 5 – Noon – 8:00pm
Saturday, Oct. 6 – 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 7 – Closed
Monday, Oct. 8 – Closed
Tuesday, Oct. 9 – Noon – 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 10 – Noon – 8 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 11 – Noon – 8 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 12 – Noon – 8 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 13 – 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

While residents and businesses are encouraged to apply online, they will be notified within 3-5 business days regarding the status of their application regardless of which method they use to apply for assistance.

Resources from the Fund will support the short and long-term shelter and sustenance needs of the more than 10,000 household units and businesses affected by the 7,500 Columbia Gas meters on the low-pressure lines in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover. Thousands of residents and businesses in these communities have been without gas since Sept. 13, when gas fires and explosions from over-pressurized gas lines destroyed homes and neighborhoods.

 

A complete restoration of gas service will be complete by Nov. 19.

Volunteers are needed to support this application process and the Drop-In locations.  To find out more about volunteer roles needed:

 

For more information about the Greater Lawrence Disaster Relief Fund and the process to apply for financial resources, please visit www.eccf.org/GLDisasterReliefFund.

Assessment Process

For the most up to date information from Columbia Gas on the streets where assessment teams will be deployed, click here.

Columbia Gas has released a Frequently Asked Questions document in order to help residents learn more about the assessment process.

The assessment will include the following steps:

  1. First, the assessors will evaluate and inventory gas-fueled appliances. Specifically, representatives will evaluate the furnace or boiler for repairs and inventory for replacement of gas water heaters and all other gas-fueled appliances. Photos will be taken so that Columbia Gas can replace gas-fueled appliances with like kind and quality appliances.
  2. Second, Columbia Gas will pressure test in-home gas piping to see if it is damaged.
  3. Finally, if a resident has not yet had a space heat assessment, an assessment of the electrical capacity of the home will be performed. If the home has the electrical capacity to safely support a space heater, the assessment teams will provide one during the visit. If needed, Columbia will install smoke alarms/CO detectors.

Click here to download the complete FAQ

Click here to download a briefing packet on this process that was provided to the city and town governments from Columbia Gas.

A total of 2,038 gas meters are in the affected zone in Andover.

Andover will deploy town resources each day to support the assessment effort and assist residents.

Small Business Loan Program

Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash, Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera, North Andover Town Manager Andrew Maylor and Andover Town Manager Flanagan late last week announced a $1 million emergency loan program for businesses impacted by the gas emergency.

The fund will offer emergency loans to eligible businesses with no payments and no interest for the first six months. For businesses that extend beyond a six month period, market rates will apply and loans will be able to be extended or restructured for multi-year term loans.

The fund opened Oct. 1, and has an expedited application and approval process, with the goal of getting all applications processed within 24 and 48 hours.

For more information visit: www.wearelawrence.org/lawrencegasresponsebusiness.

Attorney General Hotline

Attorney General Maura Healey’s office has established a hotline for those with questions and concerns. Residents and business owners may contact the Attorney General’s new hotline at 617-573-5370 in order to connect with specialists in the office who are able to handle questions about legal representation, home improvement scams, and insurance claims from homeowners, renters, and local businesses.

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UPDATE #25 (1 p.m.) Town of Andover Provides Update on Gas Emergency

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018

Media contact: John Guilfoil
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 617-993-0003

Town of Andover Provides Update on Gas Emergency

ANDOVER — Town Manager Andrew P. Flanagan, Police Chief Patrick Keefe, Fire Chief Michael B. Mansfield, and Andover’s town government department heads seek to continuously update residents on the status of restoration efforts in the aftermath of the Merrimack Valley gas emergency.

After consulting with municipal leaders in the three affected communities, Columbia Gas has decided to consolidate temporary heating assessments and home repair/restoration assessments into one single meeting.

In order to move more quickly toward full restoration of gas service for homes, Columbia Gas has cancelled space heater evaluation appointments scheduled for Friday and beyond. Instead, crews will conduct a single assessment to determine every customer’s repair and replacement needs. Customers who need space heaters and have the electrical capacity to safely use them will be given space heaters at those appointments.

Smoke/Carbon Monoxide detectors will also be given out free of charge during the single assessment.

Columbia Gas will be making automated phone calls at least 72 hours before crews begin working in neighborhoods, and work will be done on a rolling basis.

Columbia will not be making individual appointments, but will notify the town which streets will be receiving assessments several days in advance. 

Beginning today, and continuing into November, licensed plumbers and electricians, appliance technicians, and linguists where necessary, will begin visiting impacted residences and businesses to install new gas appliances, such as boilers, furnaces, hot water heaters, stoves and dryers.

There are 122 assessment crews from Columbia Gas working today.

The following streets are scheduled for assessments today, Saturday, Sept. 29:

  • Central Street
  • Bartlet Street
  • Chapman Avenue
  • Chestnut Street
  • Judson Road
  • Locke Street
  • Main Street
  • Morton Street
  • North Main Street
  • Old South Lane
  • School Street

The following streets are scheduled for assessments tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 30:

  • Kensington Street
  • Martingale Lane
  • Poor Street
  • Sherbourne Street
  • William Street

The following streets are scheduled for assessments on Monday, Oct. 1:

  • Buxton Court
  • Elm Street
  • Essex Street
  • Lewis Street
  • Main Street
  • North Main Street
  • Sweeney Court

Click here to download a briefing packet on this process that was provided to the city and town governments from Columbia Gas.

A total of 2,038 gas meters are in the affected zone in Andover.

Andover will deploy town resources each day to support the assessment effort and assist residents.

Main Gas Line Repair Work

More than 110 construction crews are working today, Saturday, Sept. 29.

Areas under construction each day will be announced via the news media, town website and social media. The town will also make use of its CodeRed emergency notification service to residents affected areas as necessary.

Full restoration is expected to be completed by approximately Nov. 19.

Columbia Gas has published a “Frequently Asked Questions” page on its website for those in both the affected and unaffected zones. Click here to access that resource.

Andover residents and visitors are asked to refrain from parking on metal construction plates placed on the road temporarily during the rolling construction process. The gas company is in and out of these holes throughout the day. They are working on more temporary “No Parking” signs to make it a little more conspicuous.

Approximately 6,324 of 301,334 feet of main line pipe have been replaced. Service lines to more than 40 of 6,100 residential units have been replaced. A total of 68 business customers in the three communities have also had gas service restored.

Gas Purging

Gas purging continues in the affected area of Andover today, and is expected to last through tomorrow. Columbia Gas has stated it will notify the communities of any additional purging days, times and locations.

The following areas are scheduled for purging today, Saturday, Sept. 29:

  • Walnut to High Street
  • Wolcott Avenue
  • Lockway Road
  • Park Street
  • Whittier Street
  • Elm Street

Throughout the purging process, there is the chance that some residents may smell gas. Additional Columbia crews will be on-hand and Andover Fire Rescue has assigned a special task force, including a deputy chief to monitor the purging. If any resident smells gas, indoors or outside, they should dial 911 immediately.

Job Fair

Columbia Gas will hold a career fair on Monday, Oct. 1 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m at the ValleyWorks Career Center in Lawrence.

Other Columbia Gas Updates

Columbia Gas has deployed liaisons to the city/town halls in all three communities to enhance communication and coordination between the gas company and the municipal governments.

Columbia Gas is also finalizing the locations of long-term customer care centers in all three communities.

As of today, Columbia Gas reported there would be 122 construction crews working in the three communities, according to MEMA.

Food Service Updates

Approximately 25 Andover restaurants remain unable to open or have been forced to offer limited food service.

The Andover Public Health Division is working directly with restaurant owners to help them during the recovery phase.

Restaurants must have running hot water for hand-washing purposes to meet the minimum requirements for food service. Hot water is also needed for wash/rinse/sanitize operations for utensils, pots, dishes, etc.

The town has streamlined the process for restaurants seeking to permanently or temporarily change fuel sources. Andover Fire Rescue is making staff available to review sketches and plans for new fuel sources, and the Health Division has staff standing by at 978-623-8640 to discuss the implementation of any operational changes that help restaurants re-open.

Restaurants may also obtain propane permits to use outdoor grills for cooking, so long as prep work and plating occur in a sanitary indoor kitchen environment.

Finally, the Health Division is aware of a number of reputable vendors supplying temporary kitchen trailers to help get restaurants up and running. Click here for a list of vendors and other useful guidelines from the Health Division.

Attorney General Hotline

Attorney General Maura Healey’s office has established a hotline for those with questions and concerns. Residents and business owners may contact the Attorney General’s new hotline at 617-573-5370 in order to connect with specialists in the office who are able to handle questions about legal representation, home improvement scams, and insurance claims from homeowners, renters, and local businesses.

Showers for Residents

The hot showers still available at Pomp’s Pond (147 Abbot St.) will remain open through at least Monday, Oct. 1.

Hours are Monday-Friday noon to 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Residents need to bring their own shower supplies including towels, shampoo, conditioner, and soap. There will be a limited number of showers designated for family use.

There is also an accessible shower for those with mobility impairments located at the Andover Senior Center (30 Whittier Court). Those are available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays for as long as they are needed. Anyone who needs accessible shower must call the Senior Center at 978-623-8320 for an appointment time.

Medical Reserve Corps volunteers are assisting in staffing the trailers.

Hot Plate Safety

Chief Mansfield and the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services strongly encourage the safe use of hot plates. Residents are urged to review the following guidelines:

  • Only use hot plates and electric skillets on the countertop.
  • Keep a 1-foot circle of safety around it; clear of anything that can catch fire.
  • Turn off when not in use.
  • Be mindful that hot plates stay hotter for longer than gas cooking surfaces.
  • Stay in the kitchen when cooking; stand by your pan.
  • Teach children to keep 3 giant steps from any cooking (the stove, a grill, or a hot plate).
  • Have a pot cover nearby to “put a lid” on a fire. Then unplug the hot plate if it is safe to do so.
  • Plug hot plates and electric skillets directly into the wall; do not use extension cords or power strips.
  • If the device trips the breaker or blows a fuse, stop using it right away and call an electrician or ask the landlord to so.
  • Read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Chief Mansfield emphasizes that hot plates should be treated like any kitchen appliance. Do not use power strips or extension cords — always plug them directly into the wall.

Claims Update

The Andover claims center will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Old Town Hall. It will open from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday next week, and again from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6.

The Essex County Community Foundation — Greater Lawrence Disaster Relief Fund will have representatives present at the claims center each day from Wednesday through Saturday next week.

After meeting with Town Manager Flanagan, Governor Baker’s office and other municipal officials, Columbia Gas agreed to compensate all of its customers for all losses related to the Merrimack Valley gas emergency.

This includes:

  • Bodily injury
  • Damage to property
  • Disruption of businesses
  • Inconvenience and disruption of everyday activities caused by loss of use of gas service
  • Efforts to limit or mitigate the loss, such as switching from gas hot water heaters to electric or temporary solutions to heat, hot water and cooking

For more extensive information on the process for switching systems, please click here.

Residents are advised to call the 24-hour claims hotline at 800-590-5571 to initiate the process.

Click here to download Columbia’s outline of the claims process.

Propane

Chief Mansfield has heard from a number of residents seeking to use Liquefied Petroleum Gases (LPG), commonly referred to as propane, as a temporary substitute for natural gas.

Andover Fire Rescue prohibits the use of propane for household purposes where piped natural gas is available from a public utility. However, propane will be permitted when natural gas is unavailable.

A permit is required, and there are specific safety regulations that must be followed by contractors and homeowners.

Click here for information on permits and a checklist for propane installations. 

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