State Employees Get Snow Day Friday

by Christine Stuart | Feb 7, 2013 11:57pm
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Posted to: Weather

(Updated 12:15 a.m.)Gov. Dannel P. Malloy asked all nonessential state employees not to report to work Friday in anticipation of the coming blizzard.

In addition to state offices, all state courthouses will be closed.

“Based on the forecasts we’re looking at now, I am asking nonessential state employees to remain at home on Friday,” Malloy said Thursday night. “If the worst-case scenario plays out, we will need roads clear for emergency personnel and utility crews. But even under the best of circumstances, it appears at this point that the best course of action is to keep people off the roads. Whether you’re a state employee or not, if you can stay home and off the roads tomorrow, please do so.”

At a 6 p.m. briefing in the Emergency Operations Center, Malloy said the National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for the entire state and heavy snowfall is expected. The forecasts call for moderate to heavy snowfall starting at 3 p.m., but the snow is likely to start in the morning.

The Emergency Operations Center will be activated at 9 a.m. Friday and Malloy will hold media briefings at noon and 6 p.m.

Thursday evening Malloy met with the two largest utility companies who told him that, depending upon how high the wind gusts get, they anticipate that about 10 percent of their customer base could lose power. He also told municipal leaders to make sure their roads are plowed throughout the event and warned that public transportation systems like buses and trains could be shut down at any time because of the storm.

Malloy said Friday’s weather could be similar to the first snowstorm he dealt with shortly after taking office in January 2011. During that storm, the state got clobbered with about two feet of snow, which is within the range anticipated for Friday’s storm.

Tags: snowstorm, state employees, Malloy, Emergency Operations Center, dh

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