Post Hurricane Sandy: North Branford Info Center

Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to receive the latest updates from town and state officials, utility companies and your fellow residents. Here are all of the pre-Hurricane Sandy and throughout the storm press releases. And here's where you can find all you need to know about Hurricane Sandy.

Shelter is Closed and Power Updates

Nov. 1, 2012, 11:30 a.m. The shelter at NBIS was closed and power restoration made a huge jump last night as UI turned the lights back on for many North Branford residents. 

Yesterday, 46 percent of UI customers were without power and as of this morning, the number dropped to 6.22 percent. Wallingford Electric has only 15 customers left to bring back up.

A decision on school tomorrow will be made later this afternoon as bus routes are now being examined to ensure safety.

EOC is Closed

Oct. 31, 2012: 3 p.m. Interim Town Manager Bonnie Therrien closed North Branford's Emergency Operations Center this afternoon. Any residents with questions regarding Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath can call the Town Manager's office at 203-484-6000.

School Closed on Nov. 1

North Branford has cancelled school for tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 1.

Oct. 31 EOC Morning Update

Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, 10:15 a.m.

• Trash is delayed a day. Storm debris will not be collected at this time and should not be placed at curb.
• Debris can be dropped off at Public Works starting tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 1. Do not place debris on the curb. There will be signs to direct where the debris can be placed.
• Halloween is a go – be safe of fallen debris.
• Trunk-or-Treat will be at Sportsplex is an option people pull into parking spaces with the trunks of their cars facing out and kids can go from car to car 'trunk'-or-treating. You can deck out your trunk with Halloween decor or just bring your candy to hand out. Cars can start filling up the parking lot at 5 p.m. with the Trunk-or-Treat starting at 6:30 p.m. The field house will be open while the cars line up. Kids can enjoy the playscape and pizza, hot dogs and sodas will be available for $2. 
• Shelter at NBIS will be closing at noontime, if you need bottle water you can pick it up at the shelter till noontime, will let you know another location later in the day!
• Showers are available at the shelter till 11:30 a.m. today (Wednesday) after that Planet Fitness at 469 East Main Street in Branford will be offering showers but you need a picture I.D.
• U.I. Power is 46 percent down and will be working on Priority #1 and Priority #2. Call 1-800-7CALLUI (1-800-722-5584) for information. Wallingford Electric is 100 percent restored. 
• Powering Stations are available at Town Hall, Libraries, Community Center and Senior Center.
• Senior Center is open to anyone who would like a hot meal. The meals are free!

NBFD Resumes Normal Operating Procedures

Oct. 30, 2012, 4:15 p.m. As of 6 p.m. today, the General Order issued Oct. 28 concerning Hurricane Sandy Operations is hereby revoked and NBFD shall resume normal operating procedures.

No School on Wednesday, Oct. 31

Oct. 30, 2012, 4 p.m. Superintendent Scott Schoonmaker announced that school is cancelled tomorrow, Oct. 31, in North Branford.

EOC Meeting Update

Oct. 30, 2012, 1:30 p.m. Bonnie Therrien met with emergency personnel and representatives from the Red Cross, the East Shore District Health Department and UI representatives at 11 a.m. this morning for a post-storm briefing. 

"When you see what other towns are going through, you see that we're lucky – very, very lucky," said Therrien.

UI reported that 47 percent of North Branford customers are without power with approximately 50 events reported, including trees on wires, trees on houses and wires down. UI representatives noted that in order to restore power to some areas, they will have to temporarily remove some customers from the power grid.

Public Works director Fran Merola is on the roads with the Make Safe crews, clearing roadways and freeing up powerlines so restoration can begin. 

Though there was only one person left lodging at the shelter, several more were at NBIS to charge devices and the Red Cross was expecting at least 29 more people to come from East Haven.

When Can North Branford Wallingford Electric Customers Expect Power Back?

Right now about 350 Wallingford Electric customers on Forest Road south of Middletown Avenue are out. To affect this repair, UI may need to interrupt approximately another 300 customers along Totoket Road, but all should be restored by mid-afternoon.

Another 50+/- along Maltby and Line streets (some in Wallingford) are
also still out. Again, they should be restored later today. Our
current best estimate is that all customers who can receive service will
be restored by approximately midnight tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 31.

Morning Briefing from Bonnie Therrien

At sunrise, public safety and public works staff will begin to thoroughly assess the damage that took place yesterday and overnight. A priority list of tree/wire issues will be made (a list was started last night) and we should have "Make Safe" crews here with the Public Works staff to begin opening up roads. Public safety and opening roads is the priority with restoring electricity secondary.

Route 80 is open and businesses do have power. Town offices will remain closed today so that people are off the road allowing for clean-up. We urge people to drive slowly and carefully as there is a lot of debris in the roads.

15 people stayed overnight in the shelter. Once the staff makes an assessment of the conditions town-wide, I will meet with them at 11 a.m. and have a better sense of the problem areas around town. I will then give you an update.

A decision on school tomorrow will be made this afternoon.

Our staff and volunteers have done an outstanding job. If our residents see our volunteer firemen, public works staff or police around town, pull over and say a big Thank You. Without their assistance overnight, many of the main roads would not be open.  And please...be safe!! If you do not have to be on the roads.......do not be!!

Important Things to Know

• Do not call fire stations directly for any type of assistance. Call 911 for emergencies or the EOC numbers (203-484-9549, 484-2196, 484-2583 and 484-9538) for non-emergent requests or questions.
• Potable water can be picked up at Fire House # 4 and the Intermediate School (bring your own containers).
• The shelter is open at North Branford Intermediate School; people with pets can go to Mary T. Murphy School on Brushy Plain Road in Branford (other side of Snake Hill).
• Charging centers are available at Town Hall, Community Center and the two libraries (Smith and Atwater), 
• If you need to report a power outage or power lines down, please call 1-800-7CALLUI (1-800-722-5584) for UI customers or go to UI’s website – www.uinet.com/outagemap. For Wallingford Electric, please call 203-265-5055.