More than 170 Oxford residents took advantage of the town’s emergency shelter at Quaker Farms School Monday — after a freak October snow storm knocked out power through the entire town on Oct. 29.
The residents used the showers, filled up thermoses with hot coffee and snacked on fresh fruit and pastries available in the lobby of the school.
The shelter is located on Great Oak Road in Oxford.
Tropical Fish
One of the visitors to the site Monday morning was Nancylee Madorno, who was figuring out a way to transport some hot water home to put in her 20-gallon fish tank.
That’s where she keeps her five tropical fish, who need water temperatures of at least 70 degrees to survive.
Madorno lost power Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m., and has seen the temperatures drop in the tank since.
“When I checked this morning, it was at the bottom of the danger zone,” Madorno said. “I’ve got (the tank) wrapped in quilts and blankets.”
Invisible Fence
Bob Sherman and his wife Ann Marie Zinowich used the showers at the shelter Monday morning before heading off to work.
They lost power at about 4 p.m. Saturday, during the height of the storm.
He said they are dealing as best as they can — but their dog is getting restless at their Larkey Road home.
A tree fell on power lines near their yard, Sherman said. The branches are touching the ground, but still attached to the lines.
With the power out, and the family’s invisible electric fence deactivated, they are afraid their dog will try to grab at the low branches, and possibly get hurt.
But, “We’ve still got a grill, and we’ve still got frozen chicken at home,” Sherman said.
The Other 9 Percent
Ed Spruck also took his shower at Quaker Farms School on Monday morning.
He said he was otherwise set for water at home: He has a 50-gallon water tank at home, about half way filled up.
“I’ve had it for 15 years, and this is the first time I’ve had to use it,” Spruck said.
He didn’t lose power earlier this year, when Hurricane Irene wiped out 91 percent of CL&P customers in Oxford.
“I was one of the 9 percent,” Spruck said. “I guess I thought we’d be lucky this time.”