Hurricane Sandy: Vernon Information Center

[Updated Oct. 29, 6:40 p.m.]

North Central Connecticut should be feeling the effects of Hurricane Sandy today, according to the National Weather Service. Vernon Emergency Management Director Michael Purcaro, fresh off a conference call with state officials, said the worst of the storm should be upon the town at about 3 p.m.

And as we ride out the storm, we want to make sure that Vernon residents stay connected.

For live updates during the storm, be sure to download our App to your smartphone or tablet and like Vernon Patch on Facebook and follow Vernon Patch on Twitter.

As you send us messages through social media, e-mail (chris.dehnel@patch.com) and text message (860-830-9863), we’ll make sure the information is added here to this story in the comments.

If you notice wires down or a tree across the road, please alert authorities and then let us know so we can spread the word quickly. You can comment right on this story to make sure readers know what’s going on in your neighborhood.

The effects of Irene and the October snowstorm from last year are hard for us to forget and, at times, water and batteries were scarce about town. You can share info about where to find these items and who has gotten the latest delivery by commenting here.

Vernon Patch is about connecting neighbors and helping neighbors so we hope you’ll find this information hub helpful as we brave the storm together.

Stay safe everyone!

Emergency Numbers

Emergency (police, fire and ambulance): 911
Routine Police and Fire Department calls and emergency shelter information can be made through the Emergency Operations Center: 860-872-9126
Poison Control: 800-222-1222
Power Outage: 800-286-2000

The town should be sending out telephone updates throughout the day.

Openings/Closings

• Vernon schools are closed Monday and Tuesday.

• Vernon municipal offices are slated to be open Monday, according to Town Administrator John Ward, but residents are urged to call the respective department ahead of time, just in case.

• Manchester Community College has canceled classes, activities and offices for Monday.
• The emergency shelter is located at Vernon Center Middle School and will begin service meals on Monday.

• The Vernon Youth Soccer Association has called off practices all week.
• The Rockville Community Alliance board meeting and presentation scheduled for Tuesday night has been cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy. The guest speaker was to be local architect and historian Robert Hurd. His program will be rescheduled within the next few weeks.
• The Department of Motor Vehicles has announced that all emissions testing has been halted statewide for the duration of the storm.

Trash/Recycling

There will be no curbside trash pick up on Monday or Tuesday, according to the town. The Transfer Station, located on Hockanum Boulevard, will be open Monday and Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for residents who wish to drop off their refuse and recycling.  The Transfer Station will be open as normal on WEDNESDAY from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Leaves

Blocked drains lead to roadway and basement flooding.

Parking

A town-wide parking ban will be in effect from 7 a.m. on Monday 7 a.m. on Wednesday, police said. Cars are not to be parked on roadways, police said.

Road Closures

Governor Dannel P. Malloy on Mnday today ordered road closures for all state highways. The closures are being implemented in two phases. At 11 a.m., trucks will be prohibited from operating on limited access highways. At 1 p.m., state highways will be closed to all non-emergency related vehicles.

He said, “Residents need to take this storm very seriously.  Beginning in the next several hours, wind gusts will begin to exceed 50 mph, making traveling along our roads – especially wooded areas like the Merritt Parkway – very dangerous.  We’re doing this in two phases, so that trucks will first be prohibited and then all non-emergency vehicles.  If you’re in a non-evacuation area, stay home.”

As of 3 p.m., just threee sections of three roads were closed:

• Bolton Road - overhead fuse.

• Richard Road - overhead fuse (repaired).

• Juniper Lane (overhead transformer).

• Meadowlark Road (downed lines).

Outages

• Just after 6 p.m., CL&P was reporting that 668 customers - of 4 percent of the utility's 15,682 local customers - were without power.

A line truck has been assigned to Vernon for the day.