On Thursday evening, Gov. Dan Malloy assured residents that the state is well-prepared to handle the upcoming snow amounts but advised residents the cold is the issue he’s concerned with.
“We’re fully capable of handling this kind of storm, we’ve done so many times in the last few years,” Malloy said.
In a press conference at 5 p.m. Thursday, he suggested that residents who need sheltering options call 211.
Malloy said there are 140 Connecticut Light & Power crews on hand to handle any power outages.
State offices will open tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. for non-essential employees, Malloy said.
Though high tides might mean minimal flooding on shoreline towns, Malloy said the state is capable of handling it.
Malloy said an inch of snow an hour is expected to fall from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. and urged residents to stay off the roads.
Malloy also said that Amtrak, Metro-North and public buses will be running but will likely have lighter than normal or delayed schedules.
National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings for most of the state through Friday morning.
Under the state’s severe cold weather protocol, Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security activates its web Emergency Operations Center communications network — an internet-based system that allows local, regional and state emergency management officials and first responders to share up-to-date information about a variety of situations and conditions. The system is used to monitor capacity at shelters across the state, enabling 211 to act as a clearing house to assist in finding shelter space for those who need it. Local officials, working through the center, can alert 211 and the state when they open temporary shelters or warming centers.
Department of Social Services coordinates with 211 and the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, as well as working with existing vendors to resolve transportation issues for people needing shelter during the period of severe cold.
Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, meanwhile, has teams who specialize in working with homeless people to locate those who are at risk, spread the word about the 211 system, and encourage everyone to take advantage of the safety of shelters. The agency is also working with shelters to assess and meet the needs of individual clients during this cold snap.