UPDATED: Local Officials Urge Continued Caution as Powerful Winter Storm Rolls Out; Old Lyme Parking Ban Extended

LYME/OLD LYME, CT (Updated 5 p.m., Feb. 23) – After a powerful winter storm left almost two feet of snow in its wake, Lyme First Selectwoman Christy Zelek warned residents to stay home while Old Lyme Emergency Management Director Dave Roberge said crews were making steady progress toward rendering all roads least “passable.”

Zelek late Monday afternoon told LymeLine “everyone should stay off the roads until at least tomorrow.”

She said Joshuatown Road north of Brockway Ferry Road is closed as public works crews address downed power lines. Tree removal operations were also ongoing near 44 Brush Hill Road.

Seven Lyme customers were without power as of 4 p.m., according to the Eversource outage map.

Over at Old Lyme’s newly expanded emergency operations center, Roberge in a phone interview said he was grateful drivers seemed to be heeding advice from state and local officials to leave the roads to emergency crews and plow trucks.

Roberge reported most roads in town were accesssible thanks to eight public works trucks keeping an estimated 22 inches of snow in check since 3 a.m.

He said all roads would be “passable” by the end of Monday, followed by full road restoration over the coming days – including hauling away snow and removing sight-line limitations.

He cautioned drivers to be careful at intersections and stop signs because snow piles can make it difficult to see oncoming traffic.

The town halls, transfer stations and libraries in Lyme and Old Lyme, as well as the Lymes’ Senior Center, will remain closed on Tuesday. Old Lyme’s town-wide parking ban for all vehicles, on all roads, was extended to Wednesday at noon.

With up to 48 customers in the area of Rowland Road experiencing power outages earlier in the day, Eversource’s map showed there were no Old Lyme households without power by 4 p.m.

Roberge said there were numerous downed power lines and one rollover crash involving a private plow truck over the course of the storm. There were no injuries in the crash and the driver resumed plowing the same day, he said.

Police assisted six disabled motorists and investigated multiple security alarms, according to the emergency management director. The fire department responded to a shed fire that did not extend to any homes.

The Lyme and Old Lyme town halls, transfer stations and Lymes’ Senior Center were closed Monday.  

CWPM Waste Removal and Recycling Services will collect trash later in the week. Residents are asked to put their trash and recycling bins out on Wednesday.

River Valley Transit services were suspended at 2 p.m. Sunday. The agency on Monday morning said service would not resume until at least Tuesday.

Old Lyme Fire Department on social media reminded residents to clear the snow from around their home’s furnace exhaust so it can properly ventilate. If it can’t, the furnace can stop working properly and carbon monoxide can back up into the home. Signs of carbon monoxide poisoning include: headache, weakness, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, shortness of breath, confusion, blurred vision, sleepiness, loss of muscle control, loss of consciousness.

The fire department emphasized generators should not be run it indoors, including in garages or sheds. Generators should be placed 20 feet away from the home, with the exhaust pointing away as best as possible.

Lyme EMS, with its active calendar of educational events, said shoveling can put serious strain on the heart. Suggestions for shovelers include:

• Take frequent breaks — don’t push through exhaustion

• Avoid heavy meals before or right after shoveling

• Use a smaller shovel or consider a snow blower

• Know the warning signs of a heart attack: chest discomfort, shortness of breath, nausea, lightheadedness and listen to your body

• Do not drink alcohol before or after shoveling

• If you have a medical condition, talk with your doctor first

• Watch for signs of hypothermia: shivering, confusion, numbness

Lyme EMS emphasized CPR can save lives. Members of the public are invited to learn or brush up on their skills at a free Hands-Only CPR class on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at the Hamburg Fire Station, 213 Hamburg Road. Click here for the details.

Editor’s Note: This article was updated to reflect a revised trash pickup schedule.