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Norwalk Mayor Declares Snow Emergency, Urges Residents To Stay Off Roads

updated: NORWALK, Conn. -- The city of Norwalk is under a snow emergency, and its residents should get home and stay off the roads by Monday evening as a blizzard slams the area. 

Mayor Harry Rilling declares a snow emergency in Norwalk on Monday afternoon.

Mayor Harry Rilling declares a snow emergency in Norwalk on Monday afternoon.

Photo Credit: Casey Donahue

Mayor Harry Rilling made the announcement in a press conference at noon Monday at the city's Emergency Operations Center at the Norwalk Fire Department. 

Free parking will be available at the Maritime Garage and the Yankee Doodle Garage so that residents can get their cars off the roads and allow for Public Works crew to plow more efficiently, Rilling said.

“The other thing we ask is for people to be patient. This has the potential to be a snowstorm of epic proportions, something maybe we haven’t seen I the recent past, and it’s going to take some time to clear those roads,” he said.

Rilling asked all residents to stay off the roads Monday night and to stay home Tuesday for their own safety and to allow clearing work to be completed.

If you have a power outage, Rilling said you should call CL&P at 800-286-2000 or 800-286-5000. He said it was important to report an outage in order to create  a work order and ensure that the outage is addressed. He advised residents to avoid calling police, fire and other city offices unless it is a true emergency.

City Hall closed at 2 p.m. Monday and will remain closed Tuesday. All nonessential personnel were asked not to report to work. All Norwalk schools have been canceled for Tuesday as well.

The city's Emergency Operations Center will remain open and if prolonged power outages occur, the city may open a warming and charging center at the Norwalk Police Department, Rilling said. If the outages are extreme, a shelter may be opened at Brien McMahon High School if needed.

“I’m very pleased with Norwalk’s response. We have everybody prepared to deal with this as much as we possibly can, and we’ve shown in the past we can respond to virtually any emergency” Rilling said. “But we need the cooperation of the public to stay home, stay off the roads and please only contact us if there’s an emergency.”

He also encouraged residents to sign up for the city’s Reverse 911 program on the city’s website.

Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy is enacting a statewide travel ban beginning at 9 p.m. Monday and lasting for the duration of the blizzard. 

"Everyone should plan be home or find a place to stay," Malloy said in a televised press conference Monday morning. "Get home before the heavy snow hits and remain there until it ends." 

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