Flurry of cancellations ahead of blizzard, governor declares state of emergency

GOV. GINA M. RAIMONDO has declared a state of emergency in advance of the winter blizzard expected to dump as much as 30 inches of snow on the region. / BLOOMBERG FILE PHOTO/SCOTT EISEN
GOV. GINA M. RAIMONDO has declared a state of emergency in advance of the winter blizzard expected to dump as much as 30 inches of snow on the region. / BLOOMBERG FILE PHOTO/SCOTT EISEN

>(Updated 3 p.m., 3:50 p.m., 4:13 p.m. and 8:40 p.m.)
PROVIDENCE – A flurry of cancellations have been announced in advance of a blizzard expected to bring potentially hurricane-force winds, and dump as much as 30 inches of snow on the region.
In a news conference Monday, Gov. Gina M. Raimondo declared a state of emergency, and is advising Rhode Islanders to prepare for the storm and be off the roads by 8 p.m.
She said all non-essential state offices and agencies will close Monday at 11 p.m. and will not reopen until Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
At 6:30 p.m., she declared a ban on non-essential travel on all state roads beginning at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday and lasting indefinitely, with the exception of: public safety vehicles and public safety workers; public works vehicles and public works personnel; government personnel conducting official business; utility company vehicles and workers; health care and pharmacy workers who must travel to and from work in order to provide essential health services; and patients and their caregivers traveling for essential medical procedures.
The exception also applies to news media; homeless or other shelter workers; travel necessary to maintain and deliver critical private sector services such as energy, fuel supplies and deliveries, financial systems and the delivery of critical commodities; travel to support business operations that provide critical services to the public, including airports, gasoline stations, grocery stores and hardware stores.
Meanwhile, U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, as well as U.S. Reps. James R. Langevin and David N. Cicilline, are asking President Barack Obama to make a federal emergency declaration for Rhode Island.
The declaration would allow state and local jurisdictions to seek reimbursement for some of the storm response costs.
Mass. Gov. Charles Baker also has declared a state of emergency, banning all non-essential travel starting midnight Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.
Schools and businesses have announced closings. View school closings HERE.
Other closings include:

  • The General Assembly has canceled Tuesday activities
  • All state courts will be closed Tuesday
  • The Providence Athenaeum was closing at 1 p.m. Monday, and said it planned to reopen 1 p.m. Wednesday, if possible
  • Webster Bank will close its banking centers Tuesday
  • AS220 will be closed for the rest of Monday and for the duration of Tuesday

The Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce released a list of emergency contacts, which are as follows:

  • Rhode Island Emergency Management, (401) 946-9996
  • Town of Burrillville, (401) 641-0898
  • City of Central Falls, (401) 727-7444
  • Town of Cumberland, (401) 333-2500
  • City of Cranston, (401) 942-2211
  • City of East Providence, (401) 435-7600
  • Town of Lincoln, (401)333-1111
  • City of Newport, (401) 847-2695
  • Town of North Kingstown,(401) 294-3316, ext. 41
  • Town of North Smithfield, (401) 767-2206
  • City of Pawtucket, (401) 729-5846
  • City of Providence, (401) 243-6398
  • Town of Smithfield, (401) 233-1033
  • City of Warwick, (401) 738-2000 ext. 6500
  • Town of Westerly, (401) 596-2027
  • City of Woonsocket, (401) 766-1212

In Providence, a citywide parking ban will go into effect Monday night at 7 p.m., remaining in effect until further notice. All vehicles parked on the street in violation of the citywide parking ban will be ticketed and towed to ensure that roadways can be plowed. Cars parked in school parking lots overnight also will be ticketed and towed.

An emergency operations center opened at noon Monday, and will be staffed around the clock throughout the storm. All after-school and evening activities for Providence Public Schools are canceled Monday. The Providence School Board meeting is also canceled. City Recreation Centers will be closed Monday as well.

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Mayor Jorge O. Elorza said roadways will be pretreated ahead of expected snowfall on Monday, beginning with school bus routes.

A snow hotline is available to Providence residents beginning at noon at 680-8080. Residents experiencing power outages should contact National Grid at (800) 322-3223.

Elorza said businesses should allow employees to work flexible hours to reduce travel during the storm’s escalation. Employees working evening shifts should be prepared for dangerous travel conditions beginning Monday evening. All non-essential employees are encouraged to prepare to work from home on Tuesday.

The city’s tax collection deadline will be extended without penalty or interest until Jan. 29. The tax collector and tax assessor’s office will remain open until 7 p.m. on Jan. 29.

T.F. Green Airport is seeing numerous cancellations. The last arrival is 4:48 p.m. Monday from Washington, D.C., on US Airways. All 22 flights scheduled after that have been canceled. The last departure is 5:24 p.m. to Washington, D.C., on US Airways, with the six flights after that already cancelled.
Logan International Airport in Boston also was reporting numerous cancellations and delays; travelers were being asked to contact airlines directly for flight information.

Amtrak has canceled service for Tuesday in New England and is posting further modifications to its operations on its website.

Peter Pan and Bonanza bus service said all bus service out of Providence will be canceled today at 3 p.m. Service is cancelled Tuesday until further notice, according to a message on the Peter Pan Bus Lines website.
In anticipation of blizzard conditions, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority will suspend all service effective 5 a.m. Tuesday. Service will be reinstated as soon as conditions are safe for RIPTA vehicles to travel. RIPTA passengers should anticipate delays on all routes before and after the blizzard due to winter storm conditions, the agency said.
Other New England mass transit agencies including the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and Connecticut Transit also are suspending bus and rail service Tuesday.
Regular RIPTA service will continue Monday unless conditions deteriorate quicker than anticipated.
Meanwhile, Verizon spokesman Philip G. Santoro said, “Verizon has been working nonstop to ensure our networks continue to function well for customers so they can keep in touch during critical times like these.”
Santoro said Verizon will monitor the storm’s affect on its networks will deploy repair technicians to the hardest hit areas.

“Since our network facilities rely on power to deliver services to customers, we have made sure that back-up batteries and generators at our key network facilities have been tested and fueled to keep power flowing to deliver services to customers in case of prolonged commercial power outages,” Santoro said.

In addition, he said Verizon’s disaster recovery fleet of emergency vehicles is ready for deployment, if needed. The fleet includes a 51-foot mobile command center, two 53-foot mobile emergency calling centers, and satellite trailers, Santoro said.

National Grid spokesman David Graves said at 10 p.m. Monday night, 45 line crews and eight tree crews will be activated. At 6 a.m. Tuesday, he said they will be joined by an additional 175 line crews and 32 tree crews. The utility also requested another 50 tree crews, he said.
Safety remains a concern, he said. If winds reach 35 mph, he said National Grid will not be able to put the buckets that hold the line workers in the air.
“We have to get our crews out if it’s safe enough to do it. If it’s too dangerous for the general public to drive, it’s also dangerous for our people,” Graves said.
Dana Alexander Nolfe, communications director for Cox Communications, said Cox’s goal, after ensuring the safety of its employee, is to continue to serve its residential and business customers during and after major weather events.
“We are fully staffed with Cox field technicians and maintenance crews and can and will adjust our operational plans based on the severity of the storm. Storm recovery efforts are closely coordinated with the power companies and emergency management agencies,” Nolfe said.

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