By MAUREEN DOHERTY
LYNNFIELD — Just when it appeared the winter of 2015 would pass by rather uneventfully, a blizzard poised to go down in the record books knocked on the doorstep of New England and brought the Northeast to a standstill as it awaited the hit on Tuesday. A travel ban was issued, airplanes were grounded, and MBTA and Amtrak service suspended.
The ominous predictions began over the weekend as the storm’s steady advance to the east was being tracked by forecasters.
At the height of the storm, starting at midnight Monday, snow was expected to fall at a rate of one to three inches per hour. But it’s the predicted duration of the storm — 24 to 36 hours — combined with the potential for hurricane-force winds, especially along the coast, and plummeting temperatures, that could destine this storm for the record books.
As the Villager was going to press, the storm was expected to dump as much as two feet of snow throughout most of the state, with some areas getting closer to 30 inches or more.
Based on these dire predictions, all town department heads met early Monday morning to coordinate the town’s response to the storm.
Town Administrator Jim Boudreau, Selectmen Chairman Dave Nelson, Police Chief Dave Breen, Fire Chief Mark Tetreault, DPW Director Andrew Lafferty, Superintendent of Schools Jane Tremblay and Council on Aging Director Linda Naccara participated in the planning.
It was the first major storm event to be handled under the tenure of three new department heads – Boudreau, Lafferty and Tremblay. Nelson said he was quite impressed by the way each handled their responsibilities. Although Boudreau and Lafferty are new to Lynnfield, Nelson told the Villager that it was apparent they were “right on top of everything and had done their homework. It was obvious they’ve been doing this for some time, although in different towns, Andrew in Newburyport and Jim in Norwell.”
Shelter at Middle School
Due to the potential for power outages during the blizzard, town officials chose to set up an emergency shelter at Lynnfield Middle School, 505 Main St., which opened Monday at 7 p.m. Officials advise anyone in need of shelter or transportation there to call 9-1-1. The shelter cannot accommodate pets. For non-emergency inquiries to the Police Department, call 781-334-3131.
Nelson determined that it would be prudent to postpone Monday night’s selectmen’s meeting. Similarly, Monday night’s Finance Committee meeting was cancelled as were Tuesday night’s School Committee and Planning Board meetings. As of press time new meeting dates had not been announced for any of these meetings. The Open Meeting Law requires a 48-hour advance notice for posting agendas of public meetings, not counting weekends and holidays. Residents should consult the town website for the respective rescheduled meeting dates and locations at www.town.lynnfield.ma.us.
Similarly, all after-school activities were cancelled on Monday and all schools were closed on Tuesday and may potentially be closed on Wednesday to enable DPW crews to clear roadways and parking lots.
Shortly after town officials completed their planning meeting, Gov. Charlie Baker held a press conference from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) bunker in Framingham and declared a state of emergency. He called up 500 members of the Massachusetts National Guard to be deployed wherever needed throughout the state and also issued a state-wide travel ban, beginning at midnight Monday, to keep the roadways clear for snow removal operations and emergency personnel.
Subsequently, Town Administrator Jim Boudreau announced that Town Hall would be closed on Tuesday. “Due to the ongoing weather forecasts, coupled with the Governor’s declaration of a state of emergency and the imposition of a travel ban commencing at midnight tonight into tomorrow, the Town Hall will be closed tomorrow,” Boudreau stated in an e-mail.
Snow emergency declared
“Emergency personnel in the police, fire and public works departments will be working throughout the storm,” Fire Chief Mark Tetreault stated in an e-mail Monday afternoon as the snow emergency with a blizzard warning was declared effective from 7 p.m. Monday through at least 1 p.m. Wednesday. The town’s emergency services will issue code red reverse 9-1-1 notifications to residents with pertinent emergency information.
Residents are reminded that during a snow emergency the following rules apply in town:
• A town-wide parking ban is effect. All vehicles parked on the street during this emergency are subject to ticketing and towing.
• The plowing or blowing of snow into public streets is illegal and dangerous. Homeowners are responsible for reminding their private contractors of the town’s policy.
• Stay off the roadways. Non-emergency vehicles on the roadways can create a safety hazard and impede snow removal. During the declared state of emergency, a travel ban is in effect. This means only emergency personnel, medical doctors, the media, and those in need of emergency assistance or those providing essential services and public safety services are allowed to travel on the roadways.
• This storm could involve downed trees and wires. Please plan accordingly. Widespread power outages, with the potential to last 72 hours or more, are predicted. Any utility wires on the ground or hanging low should be considered live and should not be touched or moved. Call 9-1-1 or the local utility for assistance.
For issues related to utility outages, residents are advised to notify their utility providers directly.
• Peabody Municipal Light Plant: 978-531-5975.
• Reading Municipal Light Department: 781-944-1340 or 781-942-6598.
• Verizon: 1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966) or online at www.verizon.com.
• Residents are advised to use care if using generators. Never run a generator indoors as exhaust from a generator produces deadly carbon monoxide. Exhaust should be directed away from any buildings.
• Exhaust vents from home heating systems must be kept clear of snow to prevent the buildup of deadly fumes.
• Trash and recycling collection will be delayed as there was no collection in town on Tuesday.
For general information on storm preparedness, residents may visit the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) website at www.mass.gov/eopss/agencies/mema/ready-massachusetts/winter-storms.html.
