Crime & Safety
UPDATED: Getting Back to Normal: Schools Open 90 Mins. Late Wednesday
The story will be updated as things change.
Update, Feb. 12, 8 p.m.
All morning Recreation programs are canceled for Wednesday, and public schools have a 90-minute delayed opening.
Earlier today, Tim Herbst thanked Stamford for loaning its plows for removing snow from the schools.
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"I would like to thank Mayor Pavia and the Stamford Public Works Department for their support and assistance to the people of Trumbull. Tremendous progress was made today," he said.
"Finally, I would like to thank all Trumbullites for your support for our Public Works Department emergency personnel during this storm. This was truly a community effort and your support is greatly appreciated," Herbst said.
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Update, 6:45 p.m.
Trumbull schools will be closed Tuesday.
"This afternoon, School Superintendent Ralph Iassogna and I discussed excessive snow on school roofs. In the interest of protecting the safety of students, teachers and administrators, we are working with the Board of Education to develop a plan to clear snow from the roofs of school buildings this week," Tim Herbst said.
Meanwhile, storm cleanup continues. "The Department of Public Works is continuing to plow roads in town and is giving all roads a second pass. Be advised that as town equipment clears a second lane, driveways may again be snowed in. In light of today’s rain, focus has also been made on clearing storm drains to prevent road flooding," Herbst said.
He concluded, "Stay strong Trumbull. We will meet this challenge together because as Trumbullites, we help each other during difficult times and we will do so again now."
Update, 2 p.m.
According to Tim Herbst, as of early Monday, "all Trumbull roads have been cleared. With today’s rain, we are now focused on clearing storm drains to help prevent road flooding and we are also focused on giving all roads a second pass."
A decision regarding school Tuesday will be issued later today, he said.
"As we speak, the Town is also assisting the Board of Education in removing snow from all school roofs and parking lots. My sincere thanks to the Department of Public Works and all of our first responders for their hard work and efforts," Herbst added.
He also cautioned that "as we continue to remove snow and make a second pass with our plows, snow may be pushed into your driveway and residents should be prepared for this. When clearing your driveway, DO NOT leave snow piles in the roadway. Please help our emergency personnel by removing snow away from fire hydrants on your property and attempt to clear storm drains in the roads if possible."
Finally, he concluded, "I have heard inspiring stories of residents helping other residents all around our Town. It is this strong sense of community that Trumbull is known for and hearing stories like this makes me proud to be a Trumbullite."
Update, Feb. 11, 11 a.m.
- All four St. Vincent's Urgent Care Walk-in Centers are open today.
- At St. Vincent's Medical Center: Ambulatory Infusion Center and RAdiation Oncology Department are open.
- All elective surgery is cancelled. St. Vincent's Family Health Center at 762 Lindley St. (Bridgeport) is closed.
- Patients should call their physician offices before attempting to appear for appointments. Some are closed to inaccessibility.
Update, 8:15 p.m.
With the assistance of Newtown Public Works, 95 percent of Trumbull's roads are open, said First Selectman Tim Herbst.
"The goal of the Dept of Public Works is to have 100% of the roads accessible by tonight. We will begin at 6AM tomorrow to widen roads during the course of the next few days. As we remove snow & make a second pass with plows, snow may be pushed into driveways and residents should be prepared. When clearing driveways, DO NOT leave snow piles in the road," Herbst said.
He added that ambulances are having trouble getting to area hospitals because of road conditions in Bridgeport.
"At this time, ambulances are only responding to emergency situations within town. Non-emergency calls will be documented and paramedics will respond when there is an improved response capability. Only true emergencies should be called to 911," according to Herbest
"Stay strong Trumbull. We have overcome challenges before and we will overcome this one as well," the first selectman said.
Update, 6:15 p.m.
All Judicial Branch courthouses and offices will be closed on Monday, Feb. 11.
Update, Feb. 10, 12 p.m.
Trumbull Schools are closed Monday. Any more snow days will be taken out of February vacation.
Gov. Dannel Malloy said the federal government approved his request for a presidential emergency declaration. In addition, he is urging residents to continue staying off the roads today unless absolutely necessary.
“This declaration will provide much needed assistance to the state and our towns and cities as we continue to recover from this historic winter storm,” said Gov. Malloy. “While the ban on travel has been lifted, we are continuing to urge residents to stay off the roads, if at all possible. This is particularly true for tractor trailers. Every time someone gets stuck, it is preventing plows from doing their jobs.”
This emergency declaration provides for direct federal assistance, including possible snow removal equipment and personnel, power generation, and other commodities. The declaration also provides federal disaster funding for 75 percent of the cost of emergency protective measures incurred by municipalities, state agencies, and eligible non profits for a 48 hour period.
Governor Malloy also stressed the following:
- Due to road conditions and limited parking availability, residents should begin making plans to carpool to work Monday morning, particularly with state employees.
- Clean snow off the roofs of buildings, especially if they are flat tops. Also, make sure drainage areas are clear. With precipitation predicted for Monday, this is an especially important issue to address today.
- Truckers are urged to delay travel until the evening hours, if at all possible, so that crews can continue road clearance efforts.
- Calling 2-1-1 should be used to find locations of shelters and warming stations only. 2-1-1 does not have information on when streets will be plowed. Please do not call 2-1-1 for plowing information.
- Residents should please remember that our state and city public works personnel are working very hard to get our roads clear. This was a historic storm, and the recovery effort is going to take some time.
Update, 7:15 p.m.
First Selectman Tim Herbst calls the snow removal process "brutal."
He said there is so much snow, "we don't know where to put it." But 40 percent of the roads are plowed, he added.
"The Town of Trumbull remains in a state of emergency and the parking ban remains in effect. Cars parked along roadways have complicated our clean-up efforts. If your vehicle is parked in the road, please move it to your driveway to assist our snow removal efforts," he said.
"Snow removal is proceeding at a slow pace because of the heavy amount of snow that needs to be moved. We are asking everyone to stay home, stay safe, and please be patient."
"At this time, 40% of the roadways in town and have been plowed. All main roads north and south are open to traffic. Operators will be plowing through the night to continue making progress. By tomorrow evening, we hope to have one pass completed for all roads in the community. We expect that roads will not be completely cleared until sometime on Monday," he added.
The status of school Monday will be announced Sunday.
Herbst encouraged neighbors to check on each other, especially on the elderly and those with special needs. "Trumbullites can all pull together through these challenging times. It’s what makes our community special," he said.
But residents were still asking where the plows are. One said she would pay more taxes for better plowing.
Meanwhile, Gov. Dannel Malloy said he is petitioning the federal government for assistance.
“As we continue with the recovery from this historic winter storm, I am asking the federal government to provide us assistance with this process,” Malloy said. “If granted, this declaration would provide much needed help to our state.”
"The emergency declaration will provide for direct federal assistance, including possible snow removal equipment and personnel, power generation, and other commodities. An emergency declaration does not provide federal disaster funding. Because it appears that most if not all counties have received record or near record snowfall, it is anticipated that a preliminary damage assessment will be conducted to determine if those counties are eligible for a major disaster declaration."
Update, 5:45 p.m.
Numerous residents say they haven't seen plows around town as of Saturday evening. Have you seen a plow lately? Is your street plowed yet?
Update, 3:35 p.m.
Gov. Malloy says the highway travel ban will be lifted at 4 p.m.
Update, Feb. 9, 3 p.m.
"Trumbull’s snowfall total of 34.5 inches of snow is a record amount for our Town," said First Selectman Tim Herbst.
"Snow removal on our streets will take time. Almost 20% of roadways in town have been plowed. Plowing has been treacherous with plow trucks getting stuck in snow drifts and plows are currently doubling up on roads to move snow. The Department of Public Works plans to open up one lane on every road in community before continuing to plow curb to curb. We have every expectation that roads will not be completely cleared until sometime on Monday," he added.
The Connecticut driving ban on highways is still in effect.
"A short time ago I spoke to school superintendent Ralph Iassogna concerning the opening of school on Monday and we will advise residents of the decision at some point [Sunday]," Herbst said.
The Library is also closed.
Update, 1 p.m.
First Selectman Tim Herbst says he may declare an emergency and open the emergency operations center later today.
He advises residents to use heaters and generators properly to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
Town plows are on the roads and sand and salt are plentiful right now. But Herbst said to stay off the roads because of high winds forecast for tonight, that could whip up the snow and reduce visibility and/or knock down branches and power lines.
Meanwhile, the Library appears to be closed.
Also, DMV offices are closed today and Saturday, as well as the Beardsley Zoo. For zoo event date changes, go to BeardsleyZoo.org or Facebook for the most up to date information.
Update, Feb. 8, 11:05 a.m.
According to Trumbull Police, due to the current storm situation, the Trumbull Police are asking for your help in remaining safe during the storm and allowing the utility companies to quickly restore service where needed. With that in mind, please:
- Shelter in Place until the storm passes or with relatives now before the storm worsens.
- Limit unnecessary travel
- Keep clear of down or low hanging wires
State Highways are subject to closure beginning at noon today. Please listen for news reports.
Update, Feb. 8, 9:40 a.m.
Due to predicted weather conditions, the TEaM Transfer Station and Recycling Center will be closing at noon on Friday, February 8 and will be closed on Saturday, February 9.
The TEaM Transfer Station and Recycling Center will be open on Monday, February 11 during normal operation hours.
Update, Feb. 7, 7:15 p.m.
As much as 24 inches of snow could accumulate by Saturday afternoon, the National Weather Service now reports.
Trumbull has declared an emergency parking ban starting Friday morning. The ban will begin 9 a.m. Friday and end on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 9. All vehicles must be moved off the roads to enable public works crews to properly clear town streets.
First Selectman Tim Herbst asked residents not to call 9-1-1 to report power losses. Please report any power losses to the United Illuminating Company at 1-800-722-5584. In the event of a downed power line or other emergencies, please dial 9-1-1.
The updated forecast is:
- Thursday: a chance of snow, mainly after 3am. Cloudy, with a low around 22. East wind 6 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Total nighttime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
- Friday: Snow. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 33. Breezy, with a northeast wind 14 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches possible.
- Friday Night: Snow. The snow could be heavy at times. Low around 19. Windy, with a north wind 24 to 28 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 10 to 14 inches possible.
- Saturday: Snow likely, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 26. Windy, with a north wind 22 to 26 mph, with gusts as high as 41 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 9. Blustery, with a north wind 13 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.
The United Illuminating Co. said it has already secured several contractor crews and employees have been notified to be on alert in case they are needed for restoration efforts. While it can’t be predicted what the weather will bring, UI encourages its customers to make the appropriate plans ahead of time.
Initial Tips:
Perform a Storm Inventory
The possibility of an outage exists whenever severe weather strikes. You can prepare by taking an inventory of your home and stocking up on any supplies you might need.
- Be sure to have flashlights, candles, matches, a disposable lighter, a first-aid kit, a battery-operated radio or TV, and a battery-operated clock. Maintain a supply of extra batteries of various sizes.
- Fill containers with drinking water (one gallon per person, per day) and keep a three-day supply of canned or dried food. Check expiration dates on canned foods and make sure you have a manual can opener.
- Charge your mobile phone and devices so you can report outages or emergencies. Store key contacts in your phone’s memory, and keep a paper copy in case your batteries run out. UI’s toll-free line is 800-722-5584 (800-7-CALL-UI).
Original Story
As much as 14 inches of snow could fall in addition rain and sleet starting Thursday.
According to the National Weather Service, there will be a chance of snow mainly after midnight and the temperature could fall to 23 degrees. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent with less than half an inch of accumulation possible.
- Friday: Snow before 3pm, then rain, snow, and sleet. The rain and snow could be heavy at times. High near 35. East wind 9 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow and sleet accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.
- Friday Night: Snow with areas of blowing snow. The snow could be heavy at times. Low around 21. Blustery, with a north wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 55 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 8 to 12 inches possible.
- Saturday: Snow likely with areas of blowing snow before noon, then a slight chance of snow between noon and 3pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 29. Blustery, with a north wind 22 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 11.
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 33.
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