Stevenson: #2 Storm Blows out Halloween, 100 Crews Here

Before I update you on the status of storm restoration efforts, I must warn residents of another impending storm scheduled to hit our area beginning Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning. 

Coastal areas will experience wind gusts of between 40-70 mph and moderate coastal flooding.  Additional power outages are to be expected and we urge residents to, again, make emergency preparations including resupplying food, water and refueling generators, if needed. 

I have spoken directly to CL&P leaders and State of Connecticut Emergency Operations Center personnel and they assure me that no assets will be released from our area until we have full restoration and any impact from the coming storm is addressed. 

Due to the predicted storm and to help ensure the safety of your children, I must cancel our municipal celebration of Halloween.  Neighborhoods are welcome to organize their own celebrations but please use extreme caution around tree debris and downed wires.

At this hour, we have 11 percent, or 900 residents, still without power.  Although outages are spread throughout town, larger concentrations persist in the following areas:

Birch Road/Point of Woods/Watchtower Roads

Brookside Road and sidestreets

Mansfield Avenue and sidestreets

Hollow Tree Ridge Road and sidestreets

Old Kings Highway/Locust Hill and sidestreets

Stony Brook Road

Old Farm Road

Nearwater Lane

Christy Hill

Today, we have close to 100 crews here in Darien responding to restoration efforts.  The CL&P distribution system has been catastrophically damaged and in many of the areas I’ve listed must be reconstructed entirely.  Full restoration is still estimated for Tuesday evening by 11:30 p.m.

FEMA representatives are here meeting with homeowners who have suffered significant storm damage.  If you need to file with FEMA, you can do so at any time at by calling 1-800-621-FEMA or at www.disasterassistance.gov.  Tree or flood damage that has made your home uninhabitable should be reported our Building Department at 203-656-7347.

Schools will be open tomorrow on a 90-minute delayed schedule.  Elections will be held at normal polling places.  Please use caution in and around schools as election turnout and traffic is expected to be heavy and student safety must be ensured. 

The Darien Library will stay open tonight until 11:00 p.m. 

Editor's note: Minor style changes have been made to this text, but no words have been changed. The original is attached to this article and can be seen on the Darien town government website.