Charles H. Dunlap, director of the Southwick Emergency Management Agency, studies a road map in the town’s Emergency Management Center after Monday night’s Southwick Selectmen’s meeting. The Center serves as a command post to assist town government officials during emergency situations. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
SOUTHWICK – Southwick Board of Selectmen Chairman Russell Fox declared the town to be in a limited state of emergency at 7 p.m. Monday during the board’s regular meeting.
The declaration allows Emergency Management Director Charles Dunlap to respond as needed throughout the storm.
Dunlap began working at 9 a.m. Monday, hours ahead of Winter Storm Juno.
Dunlap and members of his volunteer emergency management team met with public safety officials and members of the Board of Selectmen and Chief Administrative Officer Karl Stinehart, as well as participated in a telephone conference with MEMA, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.
At press time, Dunlap and his six volunteers were in a waiting period and were prepared for Juno to dump an expected 24 inches of snow in the area.
The Department of Public Works was also at the ready with plow crews in place.
“One thing we are on the lookout for is thunder snow,” said Dunlap. “This is severe weather that comes with accelerated accumulation of three to four inches of snow an hour.”
Dunlap said there is a concern that temperatures will be at zero or below and if there is a power outage, it could be for an extended period of time.
The town has a warming center at Town Hall at the ready, said Dunlap.
“The warming center is ready as needed and can be opened at a moment’s notice,” he said.
Dunlap said the best thing residents could do as the snow fell was to use common sense.
“Take precautions when using snow blowers,” he said. “People should not park on streets so that plows can get through easily, and people should stay off the roads so that emergency personnel can get through.”
Selectmen Fox and Joseph Deedy checked in with Dunlap after the board meeting and said they were confident the management team was prepared to serve Southwick.
“They had their meetings today and everyone is prepared and ready,” said Fox.
Dunlap said Southwick is fortunate to have well-equipped emergency management operations with headquarters at Town Hall, plus a second command center at the DPW garage and a mobile command.
There will be no meals on wheels delivered for the elderly and no transportation provided from the Council on Aging Tuesday, and the Transfer Station will be closed for employees to help in storm cleanup.
A parking ban is in effect from 5 p.m. Monday until storm cleanup is complete on all town roads. Residents are reminded not to plow their driveways across streets.
Town Hall and the Library will be closed Tuesday.
