A Friday Post-Storm Update for Bristol, Plainville, Plymouth and Harwinton Residents

• Approximately 33 % of the city is without power. 
• The emergency shelter at Bristol’s Chippens Hill Middle School on 551 Peacedale Street remains open.  Call 860-584-4846 for more information.  The city hopes to be able to close the shelter this weekend, perhaps setting up a smaller one at the Beals Senior-Community Center.
• To assist with clean up of storm debris, the Transfer Station will be open extended hours and days per the following schedule:
  Friday 11/4/11 – 7:15 AM to 6:00 PM
  Saturday 11/5/11 – 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM
  Sunday 11/6/11 – 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM
  Monday 11/7/11 through Friday 11/11/11 – 7:15 AM to 5:00 PM
  Saturday 11/12/11 – 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM
  Sunday 11/13/11 – 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM
• Contractors and City work crews will work dawn to dusk 7 days per week cleaning storm debris from both roadways and curbside. Residents can bring all tree/brush/branch debris (no stumps) to the curb for collection.
• The city will make several sweeps of each street over the next few weeks to allow residents time to dispose of storm debris.
• Leaf bag collection will resume on Monday 11/7/11. Please bring leaf bags to the curb once they are ready, and keep leaf bags separate from other items at the curb.
• Yard waste service is being extended through the week of December 12. Acceptable yard waste consists of grass, leaves, woodchips and twigs 12” or less in length, and less than 1” in diameter. With colder weather, please make sure that barrel contents are not frozen and will freely exit the container when inverted.
• If you have scheduled a bulk pick up, please make sure that the bulk items are separated from any leaf bags or storm debris.
• The Bristol Fire Chief notes that people need to be aware that if the risers that hold the electrical wire to a house or building have been pulled away from the structure – which has happened to scores of places – the utility won’t hook the power up.  Property owners have to hire an electrician to fix the problem before CL&P will hook a wire up again.  He said acting now might help people get their power restored much faster than if they wait to hear from a CL & P worker some time after most people get their electricity back.
• The city is waiving the $20 permit fee for people seeking emergency electrical connections in the wake of the storm.
• Municipal water is safe.
• Bristol Hospital notes that for medical non-emergency problems, residents should contact their physician. If their physician cannot be reached, residents can utilize the MedHelp Walk In Medical Center located at 539 Farmington Ave, Bristol. For the remainder of this week, MedHelp has extended its hours of operation from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. to accommodate additional patients.
• The Bristol Water Co. is offering free water for homeowners in the Bristol region who are running short during the blackout because they can’t pump water from their wells. The utility has set up an unmanned, self-service water filling station has been set-up at its filtration plant at 1080 Terryville Ave.  The water is free.  People are asked to use clean, safe containers for water that will be used for drinking, food preparation, brushing teeth or similar purposes. Any container may be used for water that will be used for flushing toilets, outdoor cleaning and other purposes.  The station will remain open until power is restored to Bristol and the surrounding areas. The setup consists of little more than a hose, but it may prove helpful for many residents who rely on well water, especially those in Plymouth and Harwinton.

Plainville:  

• Approximately 22% of the town is without power. 
• There are hot showers available at Plainville High School. The shelter continues to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner to residents who are still without power.  Pets in crates are allowed at the shelter. 
• Meals ready to eat are available to be picked up at the emergency shelter or by calling the Town Manager at 860-793-0221 ext. 205. 
• The Transfer Station is accepting brush from residents free of charge from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. today and from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Saturday.
• Power (including heat) has been restored to the Plainville Public Library. Their hours are 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
• The Town Council voted unanimously Thursday to cancel leaf collection this year so debris from trees and limbs can be disposed of.  To make up for the canceled leaf collection, the town decided to keep the transfer station on Granger Lane open for additional hours during the next few weeks for residents to drop off leaves themselves.  Exact hours will be announced.

Plymouth: 

• Approximately 19% of the town is out of power.
• The Eli Terry Middle School on North Main St. provides shelter, warmth, three meals a day, and electricity to charge phones and other electronics.
• Shower facilities are open at Terryville High School on 33 North Harwinton Avenue from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Bring your own towels. 
• For additional information, including pet shelter, please call the Plymouth Police Dept. routine number at 860-585-4017.
• The Brush Dump on Tunnel Road has extended hours this week. It is open today and Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Harwinton: 

• Approximately 50% of the town is out of power.
• A shelter has been set up at Harwinton Consolidated School.
• People in need of showers may go to Lewis S. Mills High School.
• The following businesses are open: Harwinton True Value Hardware, Harwinton Post Office, Dunkin Donuts, Harwinton Pizza, Hometown Pizza, and the Convenience store.
• Water may be obtained at Center Fire House, Burlington Road (Route 4) and at the rear of Town Hall. Bring containers.
• If you see that everyone around your house has power and you don’t, call CL&P at 1-800-286-2000 to report it.
• For non-emergencies, call the Selectman’s Office at 860-485-9051.

General Information:

• Call the state’s free 2-1-1 Infoline for any questions you may have.
• Treat any downed line – even cable and phone lines – as a live electric wire because they can carry a lethal charge if they are in contact with live power lines.
• Be careful about leaving candles unattended or running generators whose fumes are not properly vented outside. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a major threat.
  Residents are urged to let neighbors who went away or into the shelter know when power returns on a given street.
• Please check up on frail and elderly people in your neighborhood, making sure the prolonged cold isn’t getting to be too much for them.