[UPDATE] 7 Percent of Southbury Without Power, Several Crews in Town

FRIDAY 11/2:

[UPDATE - 5:30 P.M.] 726 homes, or 7 percent of town, are without power as of 5:30 p.m. Friday, according to CL&P.

First Selectman Ed Edelson said there are multiple crews actively working in town.

Edelson also urges all residents who need shelter as the colder temperatures roll in to call (203) 262-0651.

As storm clean up begins, residents should remember not to pile debris on the side of the road, as it causes additional hazards, according to Edelson.

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[UPDATE - 10:30 A.M] The amount without power in Southbury dropped under 10 percent for the first time this week.

914 homes, or 9 percent of Southbury are without power as of 10:30 a.m. Friday, according to CL&P.

WEDNESDAY 10/31:

[UPDATE - 5 P.M.]

The Region 15 School District has announced that schools will be in session tomorrow, Nov. 1.

And for those still without power, here is a list of places you can get a hot shower nearby:

• Middlebury Fire Department, 65 Tucker Hill Road, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• Public Works, 2 Service Road, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., limited availability
• Planet Fitness, 855 Lakewood Road in Waterbury and at 1186 New Haven Road in Naugatuck

In addition, Shepardson in Middlebury will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. as a warming and charging station.

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[UPDATE - 2:30 P.M.] A decision on whether or not Region 15 Schools will be open tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 1 has yet to be made.

School officials are working with the towns to determine which roads are passable, and other factors. A decision is expected to be made by mid to late afternoon today.

2,789 homes, or 28 percent of town, are without power as of 2:30 p.m., according to CL&P.

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[UPDATE - 12 P.M.] As of this morning there are still four roads that remain impassable and this remains the first priority for CL&P crews in town.

Bristol Town Rd., New Wheeler Rd., Judd Rd., and East Hill Rd. are either entirely or partially impassable, according to the latest report from the town Wednesday morning.

2,783, or 28 percent of town, are without power as of 12 p.m., according to CL&P.

CL&P is moving toward the power restoration process, although they are not issuing any time projections, according to First Selectman Ed Edelson.

Charter Communications has advised that generators are on the way to Southbury and they hope to have most of the town restored by the end of the day.

Pomperaug High School will remain open as a regional shelter until 7 p.m. this evening. Lunch and dinner will be available in addition to the showering facilities.

The Community Building, which houses the Senior Center and Parks and Rec, is open today as a comfort station, as well as providing regularly scheduled programs, said Edelson.

As for the debris that is being generating from the tree cleanup, the Fire Marshal will waive the $10 burning fee from now until the end of November. Burning permit applications are available on the Fire Marshal page on the town website or by calling 203-262-0620.

Wood debris will also be accepted at the transfer station with no fee through the month of November. Residents are urged not to pile debris by the side of the road as this only creates an additional hazard.

“As we progress into the cleanup phase of this event, we urge you to use caution and stay safe,” said Edelson.

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[UPDATE - 9:30 A.M.] There was no power restoration progress made overnight in Southbury, in fact, a few homes were taken off the grid and into the dark.

2,870 homes, or 28 percent of town, are without power as of 9:30 a.m., according to CL&P. That is an increase of nearly 125 homes from Tuesday evening.

One of the busiest groups in town during the storm, the Southbury Volunteer Fire Department, is getting a well-deserved break Wednesday.

The standby crews at the fire stations were released Tuesday night after a multitude of calls during the storm.

A majority of calls the SVFD responded to were related to trees falling on power lines and single family homes that had minor roof damage from fallen trees, according to Southbury Firefighter Lieutenant Jason Decremer.

No occupants had to leave their homes as a result of roof damage, according to Decremer.

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TUESDAY 10/30:

[UPDATE - 9 P.M.] Another 500 homes have regained power Tuesday night, bringing the amount without power in Southbury below 30 percent for the first time since shortly after the storm began.

2,756 homes, or 27 percent of town, are without power as of 9 p.m., according to CL&P.

Statewide over 400,000 homes, 32 percent of CL&P customers, are in the dark.

[UPDATE - 5 P.M.] Southbury First Selectman Ed Edelson said he discourages door-to-door trick or treating tomorrow, due to the condition of several roads across Southbury.

Edelson suggested alternate Halloween activities, such as the Center Firehouse Halloween or the Trick or Treat in the Plaza.

The regional shelter at Pomperaug High School will remain open overnight and Wednesday. The Southbury Senior Center will also be open tomorrow as a comfort zone.

3,240, or 32 percent of town, are without power as of 5 p.m., according to CL&P.

Edelson added that Southbury Public Works and CL&P have been working around the clock to restore power and clear roads.

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[UPDATE - 3 P.M.] All Region 15 schools are closed on Wednesday, Oct. 31, according to school officials. 

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[UPDATE - 2 P.M.] Slight progress was made in power restoration in Southbury since Tuesday morning. 

Currently 3,230 homes, 32 percent of town, are without power as of 2 p.m., according to CL&P. Close to 400 homes have been restored since 10 a.m. this morning.

As mentioned earlier, the first priority of CL&P crews in town is to make all Southbury roads passable for emergency vehicles.

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[UPDATE - 12:30 P.M.] Town officials and emergency crews are continuing to assess the damage left behind by Hurricane Sandy this afternoon in Southbury.

The Southbury Department of Public Works is working with the embedded CL&P crews to make all Southbury roads passable for emergency vehicles. That is the first priority this afternoon, according to Edelson.

Town Hall, the library and all other town buildings opened at noon today and will close at their regularly scheduled times.

There is water available at the Center Firehouse and the DPW Garage on Peter Rd.

A decision on whether or not to keep the regional shelter at Pomperaug High School open will be made later today by town and school officials. 

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[UPDATE - 10 A.M.] Power outages are on the decline, as hundreds have regained power in Southbury this morning. 

The amount without power dropped to 36 percent, or just over 3,600 households, as of 10 a.m., according to CL&P. 

The town has released a list of road closures this morning and several roads remain impassable. 

The following roads are completely or partially closed, according to a report issued by the town at 9 a.m. Tuesday:

• Sprucebrook Rd.
• Garnet Rd.
• Rocky Mountain Rd.
• Burr Rd.
• Luna Trail Ext.
• Scout Rd.
• Berkshire Rd.
• Jacob Rd.
• Kettletown Rd.
• Hornets Nest Rd.
• Purchase Brook Rd.
• Saddle Ridge Rd.
• High Point Rd.
• Bates Rock Rd.
• Stiles Rd.
• New Wheeler Rd.
• Peter Rd.
• Plaster House Rd.
• Kiev Dr.
• Fish Rock Rd.
• Grassland Rd.
• East Hill Rd.
• Bristol Town Rd.
• Pine Hill Rd.
• Surrey Ln.
• Curt Smith Rd.

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[UPDATE - 8 A.M.] Another 800 homes lost power overnight Monday as the amount without power in Southbury rose to 48 percent.

4,795 homes are without power as of 8 a.m. Tuesday, according to CL&P.

Southbury Town Hall will remain closed through Tuesday morning. A decision about reopening is expected to be made this morning.

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MONDAY 10/29:

[UPDATE – 10:30 P.M.] After hours of rising outage numbers, the amount without power stayed somewhat constant this past hour. 

Outages are up 1 percent, to 40 percent, or 3,956 households, as of 10:30 p.m., according to CL&P.

The statewide figure stays constant as well, at 38 percent.

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[UPDATE – 9:30 P.M.] Nearly 4,000 homes are in the dark Monday night in Southbury.

3,947 households, or 39 percent of town, are without power as of 9:30 p.m., according to CL&P.

The number of outages has risen steadily in the past several hours, but remains significantly lower than several surrounding towns. 95 percent of homes in Newtown are without power, 97 percent in Roxbury, 85 percent in Monroe, 63 percent in Oxford and 49 percent in Woodbury.

Statewide 475,839 homes, or 38 percent of CL&P customers are without power.

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[UPDATE - 8:30 P.M.] Due to the increasing wind speed the Southbury Volunteer Fire Department is pulling crews off the road for approximately two hours. The department will stay in doors unless they receive a life threatening call, according to Southbury Firefighter Lieutenant Jason Decremer.

The amount without power rose again this past hour to 32 percent. 3,174 Southbury households are in the dark as of 8:30 p.m., according to CL&P.

[UPDATE - 7:30 P.M.] As the brunt of Hurricane Sandy moves closer towards Southbury, emergency officials are ramping up their activity and power outages are on the rise.

The amount without power has doubled in the past hour. Currently 1,652 homes, or 16 percent of town, are without power as of 7:30 p.m., according to CL&P. This is up from 8 percent of town at 6:30 p.m

Southbury Police said the amounts of calls were jumping up of late and were extremely high at this hour. 

The Southbury Volunteer Fire Department reports being the most active in the past hour as they have been throughout the day. 

“There’s not much rain and there are very few cars on the road, which is good,” said Southbury Firefighter Lieutenant Jason Decremer. “But the winds are really starting to pick up.”

Decremer said there was an earlier issue at the substation off Roxbury Rd. in Southbury that emergency officials are keeping an eye on, but all and all no major issues to report as of yet.

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[UPDATE - 6:30 P.M.] Power outages continue to slowly increase in Southbury, with nearly 800 homes heading into Monday night in the dark. 

796 households, or 8 percent of town, are without power as of 6:30 p.m., according to CL&P. 

Statewide over 271,000 homes, 21 percent of CL&P customers, are without power. 

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[UPDATE - 5 P.M.] After remaining below 1 percent throughout the day, power outages in Southbury have jumped slightly.

Over 500 homes, or 5 percent of the town, are now without power in Southbury as of 5 p.m., according to CL&P.

Outages have been reported in the area of Georges Hill Road. A tree is down on top of wires at 1120 Georges Hill Road, near Kettletown State Park, according to an Incident Status Report released this afternoon by the town.

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[UPDATE - 3:45 P.M.] Power outage numbers have remained under 1 percent throughout the afternoon and no major roads are closed in Southbury.

Just 80 of the 9,879 homes in Southbury have been hit with a power outage as of 3:45 p.m., according to CL&P.

Three side streets in Southbury are closed, including Bristol Town Rd., Pine Hill Rd., and Surrey Ln., according to Southbury Police.

These numbers are expected to rise as Hurricane Sandy is projected to make landfall within the next two hours and impose its will on the Southbury area in the later hours of Monday into Tuesday. 

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[UPDATE – 2 p.m.] The town has issued a list of what visitors should bring to the regional emergency shelter. The shelter will open at 4 p.m. at Pomperaug High School, 234 Judd Rd. in Southbury.

The list is as follows:

• prescription and emergency medication
• extra clothing
• pillows
• blankets
• hygiene supplies
• towels for showers
• flashlight with extra batteries
• small board games and things to keep kids busy, books for entertainment
• speciality snacks and juices for those with dietary restrictions
• basic snacks (try to avoid nut-based snacks)
• beach chair or camp chair
• identification - including license and FPL or other utility bill
• insurance papers
• charging supplies, for phones, ipads, etc.
• other comfort items

Additionally, special items for children and infants, such as diapers, formulas and toys, should be brought, along with other items for family members who are elderly or disabled.

Visitors may not bring illegal drugs, alcoholic beverages, any weapons or pets into the shelter.

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[UPDATE – 1:40 P.M.] Region 15 officials have announced that all schools will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 30.

Pomperaug High School will be used as a regional shelter to Southbury and Middlebury residents beginning at 4 p.m. today. 

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[UPDATE - 1 P.M.] Traffic is traveling one lane at a time on Main Street South in Southbury at 1 p.m. as police and fire crews direct cars around down wires near the intersection with Peter Road and Old Field Road.

Power outages have remained low, with 53 homes, or .54 percent of town, without power as of 1 p.m., according to CL&P.

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[UPDATE - 11:30 A.M.] A regional emergency shelter will open at Pomperaug High School at 4 p.m. today, according to First Selectman Ed Edelson.

Edelson said that Southbury is currently coordinating with Middlebury and Region 15 to open the shelter this afternoon.

A CL&P crew and a separate tree crew have been dispatched to Southbury and are ready to address emergencies. Town Public Works crews have also been pre-deployed around Southbury to be better able to respond to emergencies such as downed trees or limbs.

Restoration work for power outages will take place more than likely after the winds die down. For safety reasons, bucket trucks cannot be used in winds of 35 miles per hour or more, according to Edelson.

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[UPDATE - 9 A.M.] Hurricane Sandy has yet to arrive in the Southbury area, but some homes are already without power on Monday morning.

According to CL&P, 22 households, or .22 percent of town, are without power as of 9 a.m.

Power outages are expected to rise substantially over the next 24 hours, with the brunt of the storm coming Monday afternoon to Tuesday morning. Officials have also warned that outages may be prolonged because of the duration of the storm and the amount of outages expected.

It took 11 days for power to be fully restored in Southbury after Tropical Storm Irene hit last year. Hurricane Sandy, which Gov. Dannel P. Malloy called "the largest threat to human life that our state has experienced in anyone's lifetime,” is expected to be much more powerful than Irene.

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[ORIGINAL STORY] As Hurricane Sandy continues its collision course for the Northeast, the town of Southbury is covering all bases preparing for the potentially historic storm.

Local emergency teams are on alert, supplies have been pre-positioned and all requests from local officials have been submitted through the statewide system. 

“While we continue to hope the storm will not be too severe, we are planning for the worst case scenario and mobilizing our personnel and resources,” said First Selectman Ed Edelson.

CL&P has committed to stationing a line crew in Southbury as of midnight Sunday. If any power lines need to be de-energized, they will be in town and ready to work with the Southbury Public Works Department, according to Edelson.

Edelson called CL&P’s commitment very good news and stressed that Southbury’s first responders are well prepared for the storm. 

Fire crews began storm preparation Saturday by moving equipment, fueling all apparatuses and gas powered equipment, and working on plans for staffing firehouses in Southbury during and after the storm.

“This is not a storm that we are taking lightly and we urge all Southbury residents to get prepared for a long durational event,” said Southbury Firefighter Lieutenant Jason Decremer.

All Region 15 schools and offices are closed today, and school officials say a decision on when schools will reopen will be made as soon as there is reliable information and they can reasonably assure the safe transit of Southbury and Middlebury children. 

Lake Lillinonah and Lake Zoar have been drained to their lowest allowable operating level this weekend. FirstLight Power Resource, the company that owns the Stevenson Dam, said the company will make calls to notify local elected officials and emergency operations personnel as water levels rise in those bodies of water.

Editor's Note: Check back with Southbury Patch frequently as this article will be continually updated throughout the duration of the storm with Southbury specific news and information, including power outages, shelter openings, school closures and much more.

For live updates during the storm remember to download our App for your smartphone or tablet, "like" Southbury Patch  on Facebook and follow us on Twitter .