The original item was published from 2/1/2021 7:01:11 PM to 2/1/2021 7:03:46 PM.

News Flash

First Selectman

Posted on: February 1, 2021

[ARCHIVED] First Selectman Declares State of Emergency; Town Hall Operations Update

GREENWICH, CT. – With the severe winter weather conditions forecasted to continue through tomorrow afternoon, Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo has declared a state of emergency for the Town.

This declaration enables Town departments to continue their operations as they work to minimize the impact of the storm. This is in addition to the snow emergency the Board of Selectmen imposed Sunday, January 31, which restricts on-street parking on designated snow emergency routes throughout Town. (The complete list of streets can be found below.)

After consultation with the Emergency Closing Group, Mr. Camillo also announced that Town Hall offices will be closed Tuesday, Feb. 2.

Town employees, who are able, will be working remotely and will be available via email and voicemail. There will be access to Town Hall for employees who must be present on Tuesday.

A decision on Town Hall operations for Wednesday, Feb. 3, will be made at 3 p.m. Tuesday. Operational updates will be posted on the Town website.

Since the storm began Sunday, 12 to 18 inches of snow have fallen which is now drifting because of wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph. The snow is expected to continue into Tuesday afternoon. Moderate coastal flooding with tides 2 to 3 feet above normal also is expected for the overnight high tide cycle tonight.

The snow emergency and parking ban will enable Department of Public Works crews and its contractors to clear Town roadways. Residents are advised to park their vehicles in their driveways or in their yards. Residents also may use municipal parking lots to park their vehicles.

Holly Hill will be closed on Tuesday, February 2. If we are able to reopen safely during the day, that information will be posted to the Town's website. Thank you for your patience - and we recommend being safe and waiting until Wednesday.

COVID Vaccine Clinic/Testing update

Family Centers Health Care drive-thru testing at Palmers Hill will reopen at noon Tuesday, Feb. 2 and will operate until 3 p.m. Regular hours are to resume on Wednesday.

Family Centers Health Care COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic at the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center will reopen at noon Tuesday, Feb. 2 for scheduled appointments. All other appointments made before that time will be called to reschedule either in the afternoon or later this week.

The Greenwich Hospital clinic at the King Street campus of Brunswick School is cancelled Tuesday, Feb. 2 and Wednesday, Feb. 3. It is expected to resume Thursday, Feb. 4.

The Town Hall clinic scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 2 is cancelled. There are openings available – via the VAMS website – for the clinics scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 3 and Thursday, Feb. 4.

Snow cleanup regulations

By Town ordinance, Greenwich property owners are required to be responsible for keeping all sidewalks along their property clear of snow and ice.

The Town of Greenwich prohibits plow contractors from pushing snow from driveways or parking lots onto Town streets. This practice is dangerous and impedes the Town’s snow removal efforts. If there is no other alternative to pushing snow into the street, the private plow driver must plow off the windrow left across the street by re-plowing until the road is safe.

The Department of Public Works reminds local restaurant operators who have permitted outdoor dining nodes, that the restaurants are responsible for all snow cleanup of the areas behind the node barriers. Restaurant operators also are responsible for cleaning the sidewalk along the front of their respective property. Tents and canopies should be removed until after the storm.

We are requesting residents that when they are out shoveling snow from their driveways and sidewalks, to also clear nearby fire hydrants. By clearing a three-foot radius around the hydrant will help save precious time in battling a fire.

The snow emergency will remain in effect until the Board of Selectmen, which is the Town’s traffic authority, removes the emergency declaration.

Residents should avoid all downed utility wires and assume they are live.

In the event of flooding, residents are urged to stay out of flooded basements. Energized wiring or outlets below the water line may pose a hazard. Natural gas service in a flooded basement may also pose a danger.

Safety tips when arranging to have natural gas service restored once flood waters have receded:

If the natural gas meter and/or regulator were under water, customers must first contact their natural gas company.
If any natural gas equipment (furnace, boiler, water heater, etc.) has been under water, they need to contact a plumbing and heating contractor to have the equipment checked. Those affected can then contact their natural gas company to have service restored.

Homeowners should never attempt to turn on or shut off natural gas service.

TO REPORT ONLY EMERGENCIES – For all Police, Fire and EMS emergencies, dial 911.

Emergency Helplines – Utilities:

Aquarion Water Company 1-800-732-9678

Eversource 1-800-286-2000

CT Natural Gas Company 1-203-869-6900

Optimum/Altice 1-866-950-3278

Frontier Communications 1-800-239-4430

Warming Center

Should residents lose power, the following location is available as a warming and electronic device charging center:

Greenwich Public Safety Complex, 11 Bruce Place. Open 24/7.

Surviving the Storm

The Greenwich Department of Health advises residents to make an Emergency Supply Kit and to keep it handy. Also residents are encouraged to visit websites including the Town’s website (www.greenwichct.gov), The American Red Cross (www.redcross.org), and the federal government (www.ready.gov) for pointers on personal readiness.

During an emergency the Town may opt to use the emergency notification system to send a recorded message to each resident that has a published number. All residents are encouraged to register a contact number (non-published number, cell phone, etc.) by logging on to the Town’s website (www.greenwichct.gov) located under the ‘Notify Me’ category at the bottom of the homepage.

Watch for signs of Frostbite: loss of feeling and abnormal coloring in extremities (fingers, toes, ear lobes or the tip of the nose). If symptoms are detected, call 911 immediately.

Watch for signs of Hypothermia: bluishness or puffiness of the skin, dilated pupils, decreased respiratory rate, irregular pulse, uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness and apparent exhaustion. If symptoms occur, get the person to a warm location, remove any wet clothing and give warm, non-alcoholic beverages if the person is conscious. Call 911 for medical help immediately.

When using portable generators, never use indoors (even if garage doors are open) or in enclosed spaces. Exhausts from these units contain carbon monoxide (CO). Also, do not supply generator power to your home’s main line.

Do not use gas stoves or charcoal grills for heat. They can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.

When any tree falls on a power line and causes it to come down or block a Town road or right-of way, the situation should be reported immediately. For non-emergency situations involving downed trees or branches, please call 203-622-8001.

SNOW EMERGENCY STREETS