With frigid temperatures expected Friday and Saturday, Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo is advising residents to be cautious.
The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for the region, including Connecticut, for Friday and Saturday with a dangerous cold air mass coming through. The NWS said the wind chills for coastal locations could make it feel as low as 10 to 30 degrees below zero and as low as 25 degrees below zero in interior sections.
The Greenwich Police Department’s John Margenot Atrium will be open to members of the public 24 hours. People can come to the Public Safety Complex at 13 Bruce Place off of Greenwich Avenue to get out of the cold and charge up personal electronic devices like their phones if needed.
Additionally, Greenwich Library and its branches in Cos Cob and Byram will be open during their regular business hours. On Friday the main branch of Greenwich Library will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturday it will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. People can make use of it as a warming center, charge their devices or use the Internet if they lose service.
The Library will also be open on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.
The Byram Shubert Library and Cos Cob Library will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.
The independent Perrot Memorial Library in Old Greenwich will also be open during its regular hours. People can come in between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Bendheim Western Greenwich Civic Center can also be used as a warming center during its normal hours of operation. On Friday it will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturday it will be open from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Gov. Ned Lamont activated Connecticut’s severe cold weather protocol on Thursday afternoon and it will be in effect until noon on Sunday. Temperatures are expected to plummet on Thursday night into the mid-teens and things will become frigid at night when temperatures will get into the single digits and feel even colder because of the wind chill. Sustained winds could be as high as 30 miles per hour during these next few days.
People in need of emergency shelter are asked to call 2-1-1 under the state’s protocol. People looking for more
information locally can find it by going to the Town’s Emergency Management web page at www.greenwichct.gov/435/Emergency-Management.
In the case of a police, fire or EMS emergency, people should dial 911 for immediate assistance.
For other issues there are emergency helplines people can call:
Aquarion Water Company 1-800-732-9678
Eversource 1-800-286-2000
CT Natural Gas Company 1-203-869-6900
Optimum/Altice 1-866-950-3278
Frontier Communications 1-800-239-4430
The Town’s Department of Health is warning residents to take caution during the frigid temperatures and protect themselves against the risk of hypothermia and frostbite. When outdoors, people should wear loose layers of clothing along with a with hat, gloves, scarf and insulated shoes. People should limit their time outdoors and avoid the use of alcohol.
People are also being urged to be careful when using alternative heating sources in their home such as space heaters and fireplaces. The Department of Health said their use increases the risk of household fires and carbon monoxide poisoning.
For proper safety, people should not use portable generators or gasoline-powered equipment inside their homes or garages and never use gas or charcoal grills in the house or garage. People should also have a carbon monoxide detector for their home.
