Hunkered down & ready for Juno

John Howell
Posted 1/27/15

Remember the Blizzard of 1978?

Well, this time the city, and for that matter the state, is ready.

And it won’t just be know as a blizzard. This storm has a name, Juno.

“This is …

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Hunkered down & ready for Juno

Posted

Remember the Blizzard of 1978?

Well, this time the city, and for that matter the state, is ready.

And it won’t just be know as a blizzard. This storm has a name, Juno.

“This is not like ’78 with no warning,” Mayor Scott Avedisian said Monday morning as he visited the highway garage. The place was a flurry of activity. Every vehicle that could carry a plow was being pulled into the garage. Welding torches spit sparks, and air wrenches pounded.

Before noon, Avedisian issued an executive order declaring a “state of disaster.”

Preparations for the storm started over the weekend. The word went out for “all hands on deck,” said Department of Public Works Director David Picozzi. With the exception of two employees, one of who is on a vacation cruise, every staff member of the Water, Parks and Recreation and Department of Public Works staffs were told to expect to stay around the clock until released.

A parking ban went into effect Monday at noon. The city also cancelled sanitation and recycling collections for Tuesday, which may carry over until Wednesday depending on cleanup efforts and the storm’s duration. McDermott Pool, Thayer Arena and Pilgrim Senior Center are closed today. Transwick service has also been canceled for the day.

One message Picozzi and the mayor emphasized is, don’t place trash and recycling bins at curbside without checking to ensure that collections have resumed.

“One thing we don’t want to be doing is plowing up trash and recyclables, as we’re pushing back snow,” Picozzi said.

The executive order said whereas the city has “determined that extraordinary measures must be taken to alleviate the suffering of people and to protect or rehabilitate property,” it has implemented an emergency operations plan and that a state of disaster shall continue for no more than a week.

Schools Superintendent Richard D’Agostino also had a word of advice.

“Play safe,” he said Monday shortly after the decision was made to close schools Tuesday. He said a connect-ed message would be going out to parents. Information on school operations is also posted on the department website and additional connect-ed notifications will be made regarding school on Wednesday and the rest of the week.

D’Agostino said Monday all of the school department’s 25 vehicles are “gassed up and ready to go.” Custodians and building staff, he said, will be faced with the cleanup once school parking lots and access roads are opened.

On the city side, Picozzi said about 140 people and 80 pieces of equipment are lined up to deal with the storm. The fleet of plows includes about 25 private contractors as well as two front-end loaders from Cardi Construction and a third from D’Ambra Construction.

In anticipation of the worst, Avedisian said City Solicitor Peter Ruggiero has drafted a declaration of emergency that would allow the city to restrict travel and keep municipal employees on the job around the clock.

The mayor as well as Fire Chief Edmund Armstrong, who also serves at director of emergency management, are keeping a close eye on whether the state and the federal governments declare the storm an emergency. A federal declaration would enable the city to file for reimbursement of expenses related to the storm.

Avedisian said he as well as Armstrong, Picozzi, Chief of Police Col. Stephen McCartney, City Council President Donna Travis and several members of the DPW met Sunday to review plans to deal with the storm. He said that Armstrong has a list of “medically fragile” residents who are dependent on such services as dialysis. Also, Avedisian said, fire stations would serve as places where police could find shelter when out on the road, assuming it may be difficult to return to headquarters.

Shortly after noon Monday, Gov. Gina Raimondo signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency, and advised people to be off the roads by 8 p.m. A travel ban went into effect as of midnight.

“I have become convinced that due to the severity of the storm, lives in Rhode Island are at risk,” she said in a press conference. She said a declaration of an emergency allows for activation of the National Guard and access to federal funds.

“We need all hands on deck … and that’s what that executive order enables us to do,” she said. “My message to the people of Rhode Island is to get prepared. It’s going to be the most severe storm that we’ve seen in years, maybe decades … we have to prepare, so hunker down.”

People weren’t waiting to be told how bad it could become.

James Hurton, manager of Dave’s Marketplace at Hoxsie Four Corners, reported customer traffic Monday was four and five times what it normally would be. While bread, milk and eggs were being cleaned from the shelves, he said all divisions of the store were busy with people stocking up on water, soups and deli items. All Dave’s markets are closed Tuesday.

With reports from Dan Kittredge and Tim Forsberg

Comments

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  • Notbornyesterday

    Head on over to the Stacia Facebook page, lots of bashing of the hardworking DPW guys. Some of the minion followers are complaining about unplowed roads where the others are complaining the snow was piled to high. Wow, they just have to complain about something. Unreal. I worked during the storm, DPW did a great job. By the way STACIA/SABRINA still hasn't responded to screennamegate... Figures

    Thursday, January 29, 2015 Report this

  • Knowing54

    Way to pat yourself on the back! Talk about minion...

    Thursday, January 29, 2015 Report this

  • falina

    Does everything have to be a #gate? Corny.

    Thursday, January 29, 2015 Report this