Progress continues on power restoration
CAPE COD - 10:00 p.m. update: Steady progress being made with outage number now down to 15,800.
6:00 p.m. update: Outer Cape power was restored about 5:30 p.m. after a little over 4 hours. Elsewhere, a pedestrian was struck by a car in Hyannis at the intersection of Main Street and High School Road. The victim was taken to Cape Cod Hospital with non life-threatening injuries. Bourne firefighters were called to 175 State Road for a small bedroom fire in a home. No injuries were reported. Crews had to ventilate heavy smoke from the residence.
Dennis fire is telling us of an extremely close call in their town:
At approximately 1:40 p.m. on Monday afternoon, Dennis Fire Department personnel responded to a residence on Knox Rd. in Dennisport regarding a fire alarm sounding inside of the house. After determining the alarm to be malfunctioning they were in the process of leaving when they observed an elderly gentleman exit from a residence across the street from the original call.
Upon talking with the 78 year old man they found him to be disoriented and showing signs of medical distress. Suspecting possible carbon monoxide poisoning they investigated further.
Fire personnel Captain Robert Marseglia along with Firefighters Wayne Mayo, Brian Kelley and Phelim Meehan entered the residence and located the man’s 68 year old wife and 43 year old daughter inside. Both individuals were conscious but suffering from the same symptoms. They were assisted from the residence.
All of these individuals were treated at the scene by fire personnel and later transported to Cape Cod Hospital by Dennis Fire-Rescue ambulance for evaluation and treatment.
An inspection of the residence using carbon monoxide measuring equipment conducted by Town Building Inspectors revealed that the concentration of carbon monoxide was three times in excess of that requiring a firefighter to don their Self Contained Breathing Apparatus.
The source of the carbon monoxide was determined to be a gas generator equipped with an improvised venting system located in the cellar of the residence.
Town Inspectors also found additional violations with the electrical wiring of the residence and ordered the power to the residence be shut off.
As a reminder DO NOT use generators inside as engines emit carbon monoxide. Never use a generator inside your home, garage, crawl space, or other enclosed areas. Fatal fumes can build up, that neither a fan nor open doors and windows can provide enough fresh air.
Also never store Gasoline inside of your residence as its vapors are extremely flammable
The REPC has again updated the shelter situation:
After its 4 p.m. conference call on Monday, February 11, 2013, the Barnstable County Regional Emergency Planning Committee (REPC) announces that the Dennis-Yarmouth and Sandwich regional shelters will remain open until further notice while the Falmouth and Nauset shelters are closed.
Anyone requiring shelter will be accommodated. Those in need of shelter should contact their local police or fire departments for assistance.
Regional shelter status:
Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School
210 Station Avenue, South Yarmouth
Status: Open until further notice
Pets accepted
Sandwich High School
365 Quaker Meeting House Road, Sandwich
Status: Open until further notice
Pets accepted
Falmouth High School
874 Gifford Street, Falmouth
Closed as of 4 p.m. Monday, February 11, 2013
Nauset Regional High School
100 Cable Road, North Eastham
Closed as of 1:45 p.m. Monday, February 11, 2013
The Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority will continue to supply transportation augmented by local public safety organizations.
4:30 p.m. update: (via mobile wi-fi) Power numbers have spiked back up to 38,000. Provincetown, Truro and part of Wellfleet are completely out. Reports suggest a main transformer blew in Wellfleet. Crews may be waiting for parts to come from off Cape to make repairs. There has been no confirmation on this from NStar.
Elsewhere, about 2:50 p.m a car rolled into Lake Wequaquet off Willow Run Road in Centerville. The operator attempted to retrieve the vehicle which was wheel deep. He was evaluated for hypothermia. About 3:15 p.m. a generator started a small fire on the deck of a house at 7 Queens's Bay Lane in Bourne which was quickly put out. Bourne officials are also dealing with a water main break on Wings Neck Road. The freeze and rapid warmup may have triggered the break.
REPC is advising of the following change in shelters: The Barnstable County Regional Emergency Planning Committee (REPC) announced on Monday, February 11, 2013, that the Nauset Regional High School regional shelter has closed as of 1:45 p.m. Monday. Citizens on the lower Cape in need of shelter should contact their local public safety agencies for instructions. Further details on the status of the other shelters in the regional shelter system will be provided after the 4 p.m. REPC conference call. Photo shows Governor Deval Patrick at the D-Y shelter as he toured the areas hit hardest by the storm. Photo by Matt Pitta/WXTKThe State Fire Marshal's office is warning about hazards as power comes back on:
Staying Safe After the Storm
State Fire Marshal Coan issued a fire safety warning for people who continue to experience a power outage from this storm. “It is important to take steps to stay safe and prevent fires and carbon monoxide poisoning,” said Coan.
Prepare for Return of Power: Make Sure Appliances Are Turned Off
“People who suffered a power outage should take precautions to prepare for restoration of the power,” said State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan. “Make sure heat producing appliances like stoves, ovens, and space heaters, that might have been on when the power went out are turned off and clear of items that might catch fire.”
Clear Snow from Furnace and Dryer Vents
Clear the outside furnace, hot water and dryer vents of snow to prevent flue gases from backing up into the home and creating a carbon monoxide hazard. “This is especially important if the power has been out,” said Coan. The law requiring carbon monoxide alarms in Massachusetts was named after 7-year old Nicole Garafolo of Plymouth who died in January 2005. Several family members suffered carbon monoxide poisoning when a snow storm had knocked out power. When the power was restored, carbon monoxide filled the house because the vent was blocked by snow. The heat from the furnace can keep a vent clear, but it is often not enough to melt a blockage.
Other Carbon Monoxide Risks
“Don’t use your oven for heat and don’t bring a charcoal or gas grill inside to cook; doing so can cause carbon monoxide poisoning,” he said. Generators are a common source of carbon monoxide poisoning during extended power outages. Coan warned, “Use generators outdoors only. Using generators or gas or charcoal grills inside the garage – even with the door open – poses a serious risk of CO poisoning.”
Prevent Fires from Alternative Lighting, Heating and Cooking
“It can be difficult and frustrating to be without light, heat or the ability to cook for an extended period of time, but it is critical to stay safe and not make a bad situation worse,” said Coan. “After storms, we often see many fires from woodstoves being overloaded, improper disposal of ashes, candles, and improper re-fueling of generators.”
Wood, Coal and Pellet Stoves
“Prevent serious fires from the improper disposal of ashes from fireplaces, wood and pellet stoves,” said Coan. “A single ember can remain hot for days, so put ashes in a metal container with a lid away from the house, the garage, the deck,” he added. Already this heating season, many fires started with ashes put into plastic bags, cardboard boxes, and plastic trash bins, in the garage, under the deck or even in the family room.
“Don’t overload your woodstove as they are not designed to replace central heating systems. An overtaxed woodstove can easily start a chimney fire taking advantage of creosote build-up or minor cracks in the flue or causing a breakdown in the chimney liner,” said Coan. Heating appliances are the leading cause of carbon monoxide in the home and the risk increases when they are working harder. For more information go to www.mass.gov/keepwarmkeepsafe.
Use Flashlights and Battery-Operated Candles
Use flashlights and battery-operated candles for safety. If you must use flame candles, remember to burn them inside a one-foot circle of safety free of anything that can burn. Place them on a non-combustible surface or in the sink; blow them out when you leave the room or go to bed; and use jar candles or place a globe over stick candles. Keep pets and children away from candles.
Adopt a Hydrant If You Can
“In a fire seconds count,” said State Fire Marshal Stephen Coan, “so help your fire department protect you and your neighbors by removing snow from nearby fire hydrants.” Fire officials are urging those who are able to do so, to shovel snow away from fire hydrants in case access to them is needed quickly.
Dennis Police released the following statement: Storm clean up continues throughout the Town with N-Star reporting approximately 21% of the customers still without power as of 3:00pm this afternoon.
Utility crews continue to work to bring all those without power back on line.
If you need to report a power outage you can call - NSTAR at 1-800-592-2000. Citizens are encouraged to use the NSTAR phone system to report power outages – the system automatically tracks these calls and provides information to NSTAR as to how many people are out in a given area.
The Dennis-Yarmouth Regional shelter continues to operate with about 100 persons presently being housed at the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School, 210 Station Avenue South Yarmouth.
This shelter will remain open overnight Monday into Tuesday for those in need.
For those living in Dennis and needing transport to the shelter you can call the Dennis Police Department at 508-394-1315 or the Cape Cod Regional Transportation Authority at 1-800-352-7155.
As a reminder - Do not go near downed wires – treat them as being electrified. If you see a wire down contact your local emergency agency. In Dennis you are asked to call 911 in case of an emergency or 508-394-1315.
2:45 p.m. update: One step forward, two steps backwards...or so it seems sometimes. Power out again from Wellfleet to Provincetown. REPC reports shelters being consolidated: The Barnstable County Regional Emergency Planning Committee (REPC) announces on Monday, February 11, 2013 that the regional sheltering system is in the process of consolidation. Any one in need of shelter will be accommodated by the system. Citizens in need of shelter should contact their local public safety agencies or emergency management director for instructions. Details will be provided as they become available.
12:30 p.m. update: Carbon monoxide continues to be a threat. An entire family in Marstons Mills had to be evaluated by paramedics around 10:30 a.m. after high levels were discovered in their home at 429 Flint Street. 36,600 customers still out at this hour. Mother nature threatening to throw somewhat of a wrench into the mix. The afternoon/evening forecast is calling for showers, and westerly wind gusts of 35 MPH are expected Tuesday.
The Barnstable Sheriff's Office has provided this report of their activities during the storm: Running the Barnstable County Correctional Facility (BCCF) has long been the primary mission of the county Sheriff’s Office, and it was no different during the just-concluded blizzard weekend. With generators to ensure against power loss, and a dedicated contingent of correctional officers and their security supervisors braving treacherous road conditions, virtually all posts were manned. So the weekend inside BCCF transpired without a serious hitch.
With all systems functioning well at the correctional facility, the Office’s outside deputies teamed up with other public safety and emergency preparedness workers to battle the storm more directly.
Sheriff James Cummings noted, “When the need is greatest, the professionals we have at the Sheriff’s Office and their brethren officers in public safety always have a way of stepping up and getting the job done.”
Recapping the Sheriff’s Office response up and down the line:
Crystal LaPine, the Sheriff’s chief deputy for public safety, remained busy today helping run things at the county’s Multi-agency Coordinating Center (MACC), located at the Massachusetts Military Reservation. The Sheriff’s Community Service Crews dispatched one crew to Bourne, to remove snow off a public library roof straining under its weight. LaPine later activated two additional inmate crews to help Red Cross workers break down and pack up the just-deactivated shelters.
LaPine also oversees a large contingent of CERT volunteers, a group once called “the Sheriff’s Minutemen.” Only some are also women, she quickly explains, including those who volunteered for the blizzard.
The Emergency Communication Center (ECC) and its eight-per-shift complement of telecommunicators handled “thousands of calls,” says chief deputy for emergency communications Peter Thomas. Lt. James Fletcher, Thomas’s top assistant, said it was the busiest call volume of similar duration in recent memory. In fact, during the period of the storm, the Sheriff’s Communication Center processed 990 911 calls, approximately 1,000 Fire/EMS related communications, 65 Mutual Aid Request and 610 CMED (ambulance to hospital) calls.
All the more hectic because ECC handled Barnstable Police’s “911” calls for about four hours while the latter site was off line. The brief switch-over and then back to normal was seamless and part of pre-established protocol. ECC currently handles “911” calls and follow-up dispatch for multiple police and in some cases fire departments on Cape Cod. The technology, training and personnel made backing up Barnstable Police all part of the job for the Sheriff’s Communication Center.
Ralph Swenson, the Sheriff’s chief radio tech, says his shop was unusually busy for about six hours Saturday evening. They worked with State Police to repair generator breakdowns used at four sites (Barnstable and Plymouth counties) housing the emergency radio power source. “It all starts with a signal,” Swenson is fond of saying. “But nothing we couldn’t handle,” he concludes of this weekend, “which reflects lots of prep work to have the system as ‘storm ready’ as it could have been. You know, “concluded Swenson, a Boy Scout leader, “an ounce of prevention . . .“
“Cape Cod residents are fortunate,” concludes Special Sheriff Jeff Perry, “to have such a group of public safety officials and officers who always work together when our county faces a challenge. The cooperation between the Sheriff’s Office, police, fire, EMS and all the support agencies in the public and private sector work uniquely well here on Cape Cod.”
10:00 a.m. update: Two drivers escape serious injury in this crash in Provincetown about 9:00 a.m. A Ford Escape collided with a Chevy Suburban at Route 6 and Conwell Street. The Suburban ended up in the median a short distance down the highway. The traffic light at the major intersection has been out since the storm hit. High snowbanks may have also limited visibility. Provincetown Poice are investigating.Orleans Firefighters were called to the Post Office Square complex on Main Street for high carbon monoxide levels. No one was injured but the stores had to be ventilated. Power outage numbers are down to 37.000. Photos by Tim Caldwell/CWN
Progress continues in the battle to restore power after the Blizzard of '13. As of 2 a.m. the number of customers still affected had dropped below 40,000. At the peak of the storm, at least 130,000 customers were out. Continuing coverage through the day.
Provincetown Police weekly arrest report
PROVINCETOWN - Provincetown Police report two arrests for the past week. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
On February 6th at 8:39 a.m. Ofc. Kathryn Catanese arrested
Joel Bello, 31, of New Bedford who was charged with
Operating without a license
Defective equipment
On February 9th at 4:53 p.m. Det. Richard Alves arrested
Jeremy John LaFave, 33, of Port St. Lucie, FL who was charged with
Breaking and entering in the daytime with intent to commit a felony
Larceny over $250
Malicious destruction of property
Media release furnished by Provincetown Police
Truro Police weekly arrest report
TRURO - Truro Police report two arrests for the past week. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
On February 6th at 8:21 a.m. Lt. Craig Danizger arrested
James M. Delanis, 23, of Truro who was charged with
Operating after registration suspended
Uninsured vehicle
Uninspected vehicle
Warrant arrest
On February 7th at 11:22 a.m. Lt. Craig Danziger arrested
Joseph M. Thomas, 42, of Orleans who was charged with
Operating in violation of license class
Speeding
Media release furnished by Truro Police
Falmouth Police weekly arrest report
FALMOUTH - Falmouth Police report the following arrests for the past week. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
On February 5th at 12:44 a.m.
Lisa Ann Brown, 44, of Falmouth was charged with
Assualt and battery (domestic)
On February 5th at 4:29 a.m.
Michael T. James, 37, of East Falmouth was charged with
Assault and battery (domestic)
Assault and battery on a police officer
Disorderly conduct
On February 7th at 7:30 a.m.
William E. Burgers, 33, of Falmouth was charged with
Warrant arrest
On February 10th at 5:51 a.m.
Jeffrey P. Laporte, 28, of Falmouth was charged with
Warrant arrest
On February 10th at 10:21 p.m.
Scott Raymond Geggatt, 46, of East Falmouth was charged with
Assault and battery (domestic)
Data furnished by Falmouth Police
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