Arlington Schools, Libraries and Town Offices Closed Monday

The following is from the Town of Arlington.

Oct. 29 - Schools, Libraries, and Town Offices Closed, No Trash Collection

Sandy to Bring Powerful Winds

Predictions from the National Weather Service anticipate that Sandy will bring powerful winds and rain for an extended period of time (12-18 hours). The strongest winds are expected to begin late Monday morning lasting overnight into Tuesday. Sandy may be downgraded to a strong Tropical storm, but tree damage and extended power outages are anticipated. 

Monday, October 29

- Schools and Town Hall Offices Closed

- Trash, Recycling, and Yard Waste will NOT be collected. Monday’s schedule will be collected on Tuesday and the rest of the schedule will be delayed one-day.

Residents should be aware of the following safety tips regarding electricity and power outages.

Stay away from downed wires. Assume all downed wires are "live" and call 911 and contact NSTAR at 1-800-592-2000.  

• Power outages should be reported directly to NSTAR at 800-592-2000.
• Be careful never to leave open flames unattended.
• Turn off major appliances and electronics during the outage to guard against damage when the power comes back on. Leave one light switched on as a signal for when the power is restored.
• Surge protectors, which are available at local electronics stores, can protect sensitive equipment during an outage and when power is restored. 

For more electrical safety tips visit NSTAR’s Storm Center at nstar.com.

Additional Safety Tips

If you have not done so already, please secure, or bring inside, outdoor objects such as trash barrels, lawn furniture, and other items that can be displaced by high winds.

• Make sure to charge batteries and portable devices like cell phones, and have a working flashlight available.
• Families should also develop plans in the event of an emergency. FEMA has many safety tips, including a Family Emergency Plan which can be found at www.Ready.Gov.
• For additional safety information please visit www.mass.gov/mema.

As the storm approaches, and during the storm, continually monitor the event on local media.

Be Alerted by the Town During an Emergency

If shelters need to be opened or other urgent public safety announcements are required, the Town will post these announcements through the following methods:

online at Town of Arlington website (arlingtonma.gov)

via email through “Town of Arlington Notices” (arlingtonma.gov/subscriber)

via phone through “Arlington Alerts” (arlingtonma.gov/subscriber)

It is strongly advised you are at least registered in the Town’s Arlington Alert system. If you have received an automated phone call from the Town you are already in the system and no further action is required. If you have not received an automated call from the Town, or are not sure, please register at arlingtonma.gov/subscriber.

Important Numbers to Have on Hand

Arlington Emergency Management recommends that residents make note of the following phone numbers. It is recommended you print this page, or otherwise make these numbers available offline, so you have them handy in the event of a power loss.

• For life-threatening emergencies, call 911.

• For downed electrical wires, call 911 and NSTAR at 1-800-592-2000.

• For non-life threatening emergencies, such as flooding, call Community Safety dispatch at 781-643-1212.

• For downed tree limbs, call Public Works dispatch at 781-316-3301.

• Power outages report directly to NSTAR at 1-800-592-2000.