Shelter Open, Schools Closed; Town Manager Says ‘Please Be Patient’

If there’s one message that town officials want residents to hear after the unexpected October snowstorm that left more than 13,000 without power, it's to stay safe and be patient.

Garry Brumback said it’s important for residents to use caution and avoid traveling if they can as the town continues to dig out and remove tree limbs, full trees and wires from the roads, especially if you find yourself traveling at night.

“It will continue to get cold at night and we are urging residents to be careful,” Brumback said. “We are doing our best can to keep Calendar House open and to provide assistance including meals. Residents need to realize we are doing what we can, but this is not a situation where things are going to be restored fast, and patience is an important trait to have right now.”

The , opened at 7 p.m. Saturday and served nine people during the first night, but staff said they are anticipating an increase for the second evening, especially as temperatures begin to drop again.

Charles Motes, director of the Southington-Plainville Regional Health District, said Southington has acquired 121 cots and 120 blankets to help residents. If you have a pet, he said they will try and accommodate, but in a worst-case scenario, the town’s animal control officer kennel can house them in a heated area until power is restored.

For questions or assistance, contact the Calendar House at 860-621-3014.

Emergency officials said although many of the hazards have been addressed, there are still 18 roads closed throughout the community and still countless others that are partially closed due to downed wires or fallen trees and tree limbs.

As a safety precaution and because of the number of outages in the community, schools have already made a decision to close on Monday. A decision would be made tomorrow regarding further potential delays, School Superintendent Joseph V. Erardi Jr. said.

With 13,452 Southington Connecticut Light & Power customers still in the dark, police and fire officials said a CL&P crew has been assigned to Southington – but don’t expect any quick fix.

“There will not be any restoration work done today,” Brumback said. “They will be out on the roads and working through the night, but their first responsibility is to clear the roads and make sure they are safe to work on. Once that is complete, we’d expect them to start restoration, but that’s going to be sometime on Monday.”

As residents look for ways to maintain their lives without power, organizations are stepping up to help. The YMCA is open for use with power, and showers, and grocery stores in town including Stop & Shop and Price Chopper are open and fully functional.

“The most important thing is to be safe,” Sgt. Lowell DePalma said in a press release. “If you are shoveling driveways or sidewalks, look ahead to make sure there are no wires and if there are, stay away.”

Anyone with a non-emergency issue should contact the at 860-378-1600.

As for trick-or-treating?

"We are not going to dictate whether people can or can't go out, but it's certainly not recommended," Brumback said. "If you are going to go out, make sure you do it safely and that the neighborhoods are safe to walk through."