City of Rochester
News Release
(Friday, Feb. 22, 2018) – With the high winds forecasted for this weekend, the City of Rochester is preparing additional resources in key departments, and Mayor Lovely A. Warren is asking residents to prepare for potential power outages.
“My team is monitoring conditions carefully and is prepared to deploy City resources where needed,” Mayor Warren said. “We ask all residents to please prepare their families for a potential power outage, be aware of electrical, fire and other hazards and prepare their homes by bringing in debris or loose objects.”
A “High Wind Warning” is in effect from Sunday morning to Monday afternoon, with wind gusts up to 75 mph -- much more extreme than other recent events this year. Power outages and structural damage are likely. Rain will change to snow late Sunday afternoon. Strong winds will create significant blowing snow with reduced visibilities, according to the National Weather Service.
The David F. Gantt Center at 700 North Street will open at 9 a.m. Sunday as an emergency shelter and warming center. It will remain open as long as needed. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Ice Rink will be closed Sunday. All regularly scheduled indoor R-Center activities will take place as long as their respective facilities have power.
For tips on preparing your home and family for power outages, visit: www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/power-outage.html
The City Department of Environmental Services will have 24-hour coverage to address any ramifications from the storm.
Refuse and Recycling will be delayed by one day next week.
The Rochester Police Department, Fire Department and 911 are calling in additional staff to respond to an anticipated increase in emergency calls. 311 will have extended hours, remaining open until 8 p.m. Sunday.
The Rochester Fire Department asks residents to use caution while heating their homes. Do not use electrical generators indoors, and never use the stove or gas range in your kitchen to heat your home. Please do not touch any downed lines, or tree limbs or debris stuck in these lines, which carry strong electric currents. If you smell natural gas, leave the area and call 911 or RG&E.
To report power outages, downed power lines or natural gas leaks, call 800-743-1701 or visit https://ebiz1.rge.com/cusweb/OutageNotification.aspx
Other reminders:
• City 911 and 311 call centers see a high call volume during weather events. To avoid phone lines being overwhelmed, citizens are asked to call 911 only if they are in need of police, fire or ambulance services, and 311 for questions about City services.
• Residents are urged to register their cell phones for HyperReach, 911’s emergency notification system, to be notified in the event of an emergency. Enroll here: www.cityofrochester.gov/knownow.
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News Media: For more information contact Press Officer Jessica Alaimo at 428-7135.