Gov. Dannel Malloy announced a statewide travel ban starting at 9 p.m. Monday (Jan. 26) in anticipation of “the largest winter storm we’ve seen since the blizzard of 2013.”
The governor said people should make preparations to get home safely by Monday evening and then stay put — for awhile.
“This afternoon, please get off the roads as early as possible,” Malloy said during a brief press conference Monday morning, noting that those who can leave work early, or work from home, should.
“We encourage citizens to stay in place during the duration of the storm,” the governor said, adding later: “It is imperative that you have a plan in place to get home this evening as the weather begins and stay there.”
In addition to the driving ban, Malloy said CT Transit bus service will end at 8 p.m. Monday.
Other details announced by Malloy:
- More than 600 state Department of Transportation crews will be working throughout the storm.
- Connecticut Light & Power and United Illuminating have out-of-state crews en route already to deal with potential outages.
- The governor said the utilities are treating the upcoming storm as a “Level 1” emergency, meaning CL&P anticipates about 100,000 customers out statewide, and UI about 10,000.
- Residents who lose power will be without power for “a period of time, in all likelihood several days.”
- “If you have a fireplace that’s useable, have some wood ready.”
- DO NOT run a heater or generator in your home (or garage) that has a carbon monoxide exhaust.
- The National Guard and Coast Guard are both “positioning equipment” around the state and are ready to help if necessary.
- The governor asked residents to check in on elderly neighbors or family members in need of medication or assistance. People who will need medication over the next several days should get it by Monday night.
- Make sure furnace exhaust vents are free from snowdrifts.
- If you’re in need of emergency shelter, call 211 for help.
Asked when the travel ban might end, the governor said, “When we lift it we’ll announce a lifting.”
Malloy said that in a conference call Monday with local officials throughout the state, he encouraged them to keep their plow drivers on the road “throughout the storm as long as public safety allows.”
But if snow falls at a rate of 4 inches per hour, it becomes a question of waiting for the snow to stop falling and then remove it after.
Malloy said he would have a conference call with his department heads at 4:15 p.m., and another press conference at 5 p.m.
Here is a press release from the governor’s office:
Governor Dannel P. Malloy has declared a State of Emergency in preparation for the coming blizzard, which is anticipated to heavily impact the state tonight through Tuesday. In addition, the Governor announced that a travel ban for all roads is in effect beginning at 9:00 p.m. tonight.
“People need to take this storm seriously,” said Governor Malloy. “If current predictions are accurate, we will need people to stay off the roads so that emergency personnel and utility crews can get to the places they need to get to, and to make sure that our plows can keep critical roadways clear.”
The Governor will update the public at 5:02 p.m. this evening on the impending storm from the state Emergency Operations Center in Hartford. The Governor is also encouraging people to monitor the media for up-to-date information on the storm.
WHO: Governor Malloy
WHAT: News briefing on winter storm
WHEN: Monday, January 26, 2015; 5:02 p.m.
WHERE: State Emergency Operations Center, William A. O’Neill State Armory; 360 Broad Street, Hartford
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