Shelters, Heating Centers, Recharging Stations Open

As residents wait for their electrical power to be restored, town officials in Windsor Locks and East Windsor arranging shelters and warming centers.

At 4 p.m. 100 percent of CL&P customers in Windsor Locks and 96 percent of customers in East Windsor were without power.

In Windsor Locks, the main conference room in is being used as a heating room and a recharging station from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. until further notice, Victor Puia, emergency management director, said.

At 11 a.m. was opened as a full-service shelter, starting at 4 p.m. showers will be available, Puia said. People should bring their own toiletries, towels and medicines, if they need them. The shelter will be open 24 hours a day until further notice. Officials are also securing Meals Ready to East for food, Puia said.

Puia said about 40 people stayed at town hall Sunday night. They had the capability of handling double that number.

Officials said trees were downed throughout the community and multiple power lines are down in multiple places as well.

“This is the worst I’ve ever seen it,” Selectman Joseph Calsetta said. “I went to St. Croix after Hurricane Hugo, this is exactly what it looked like.”

Calsetta said police, fire and public works personnel were working at 110 percent to keep up with the aftermath from the storm. By midnight Saturday, the fire department had answered about 150 calls for assistance, he added.

First Selectman Steven N. Wawruck Jr. said the town is asking people not to touch any wires they see laying in the street.

“Continue to treat the wires as live wires don’t take anything for granted,” Wawruck said.

Windsor Locks resident Brian Levy said the power outage was not too bad.

“We’re lucky in that we have some heat,” Levy said. “Other than inconvenience for food and electricity itself.”

In East Windsor, officials are trying to setting up as a shelter for tonight, South Windsor High School will provide shower facilities to East Windsor residents from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., First Selectwoman Denise Menard said. Town hall will also be available as a charging station for mobile phones and computers during regular business hours, she added.

About 100 people were sheltered at East Windsor Housing Authority’s Park Hill facilities and about seven people at the East Windsor Senior Center, Blaine Simpkins, emergency management coordinator, said.

Menard said the storm turned out to be much worse than originally thought.

“This is much worse than the hurricane,” Menard said.