Updated Sunday, 10:20 a.m.:
There are about 300 Connecticut Light & Power crews working to restore power in southeastern Connecticut, today. According to First Selectman Edward Haberek Jr., 60 of those crews are working in Stonington.
Haberek said he was optimistic there would be large areas of power restoration today. Crews are working in Pawcatuck right now on a circuit that should restore power to 1,600 customers. As of 10 a.m. 3, 979 Stonington CL&P cusomters are without power according to the CL&P outage map.
There are however, 18 circuit incidents off the main lines, Haberek said. So, while progress is being made it is unlikely there will be complete power restoration today.
The Red Cross Shelter at Stonington High School remains open for anyone that needs a place to warm up. About 55 people took advantage of the shelter last night. People should be prepared to provide their own bedding and toiletries. And the Groton Senior Center at 102 Newtown Road in Groton is open for anyone in need of some warmth, a place to plug-in, watch television and/or get some wifi. Showers are available at the Westerly/Pawcatuck YMCA. Remember to post what's open and what's closed.
Town Hall will likely remain closed on Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. A decision about whether schools will open on Monday, will be made at noon, but it seems unlikely there will be school.
Tree crews are working with the Stonington Highway Department and hope to have all roads open and cleared today, Haberek said.
Residents in need of assistance should call 911 or the Stonington Police Department at 860-599-4111
Updated Sunday, 8:30 a.m.:
Officials from Stonington, Groton and other southeastern Connecticut towns will meet with Connecticut Light & Power representatives this morning to discuss restoration efforts. At that meeting town officials are hoping to get a power restoration timeline.
As of 8:30 this morning 49 percent of Stonington CL&P customers are without power, down from 53 percent last night. In Groton, 16 percent of CL&P customers are without power, including most downtown Mystic shops.
The Red Cross shelter at Stonington High School is open and will accept pets. People should be prepared to provide their own bedding and toiletries. And the Groton Senior Center at 102 Newtown Road in Groton is open for anyone in need of some warmth, a place to plug-in, watch television and/or get some wifi.
Remember to post what's open and what's closed.
Updated Saturday, 9:00 p.m.:
As of 9 p.m., 53 percent of Stonington CL&P customers remained without power. First Selectman Edward Haberek said highway crews were out salting the roads to make travel safer. Haberek said, that town and CL&P officals would meet Sunday morning and he expected to have an assessment of the power restoration efforts as well as a timeline.
Crews are out salting the roads to make travel safer.
The Red Cross shelter at Stonington High School is open and will accept pets. People should be prepared to provide their own bedding and toiletries. People who need assistance should call 911.
Saturday, 6:12 p.m.:
As of 6 p.m., 53 percent of Stonington CL&P customers are still without power. CL&P spokesman Mitch Gross said electricity customers in southeastern Connecticut who don't have power can expect to be that way for 24 hours or more. About 30 CL&P crews from out-of-state arrived in the area today and are being staged. at the Mystic Seaport. Remember to share what's open and what's closed.
Updated Saturday, 4:09 p.m.:
A message from the Stonington Police Department:
Due to many people within our community having lost power during this winter storm, we have opened a shelter at Stonington High School. If you do not have power and do not have family or other alternatives for a place to stay, and you need shelter, you may go to Stonington High to the shelter, or call 860-535-5050 with questions or request for assistance. We are here to help the community through this tough storm.
Updated Saturday, 3:25 p.m.:
The state-wide travel ban will be lifted at 4 p.m.
"While we are lifting the ban on travel this afternoon at 4 p.m., I still want to urge residents to stay off the roads if at all possible," Governor Dannel P. Malloy said. "Crews are out clearing roadways as we speak, but the fact is we are going to feel the impact of this storm for some time. The longer we can keep traffic out-of-town centers and off of our highways, the more effective our recovery effort will be. "
Updated Saturday, 2:11 p.m.:
The Red Cross shelter at Stonington High School is now open. People should be prepared to provide their own bedding and toiletries. The shelter is accepting pets. People who need assistance should call the Stonington Police Department at 860-599-4111.
As of 2 p.m., more than 4,500 Stonington CL&P customers, about 57 percent of town, was still without power. First Selectman Edward Haberek Jr., said the town will be housing the CL&P Eastern CT satellite restoration team. Temperatures are expected to drop to a low of 11-degress tonight. Town officials are asking residents to stay off the roads
Saturday, 9:26 a.m.:
If you see a member of the highway, police, fire or ambulances services today, thank them for all their work. Stonington’s emergency personnel had a long day Friday and they are in for another long day today.
“We’ve had crews out for the past 24-hours,” First Selectman Ed Haberek Jr. said this morning.
Haberek said there are currently 85 storm related incidents of wires and trees down throughout town.
“It’s a mess, a real disaster right now,” Haberek said, adding that there was as much if not more damage than during Hurricane Sandy.
Old Mystic was particularly hard hit and roads such as Wolf Neck are impassable.
In Stonington Borough most if not all residents and businesses have power, but several roads are closed due to downed power lines including Bayview, Elm Hancock, Diving and part of North Water Street.
More than 4,000 Stonington CL&P customers or 52 percent of the town is currently without power. There were close to 25 transformer fires in town, on Friday.
A Connecticut Light & Power restoration crew is on the way to the area to work with the Stonington Highway Department, and according to Haberek there are currently 30 line crews and 17 tree crews in town. But, Haberek cautioned that it could be a couple of days until power is fully restored.
Red Cross Officials are on their way to town and the high school is being plowed out for an emergency shelter that Haberek hopes to have open by 10:30 a.m. However, the town is encouraging people to shelter in place, the town shelter is only for individuals in dire situations. If you have an emergency you should call 911.
Town officials are asking residents to stay home for the day and do their own digging out. Haberek said to be mindful of plows and that people walking in the streets or shoveling or playing close to roadways and driveways made the plow workers' jobs more difficult.
