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(Breaking news) Shelter opens for those without heat
Monday, March 2, 2009
 Click here to enlarge this photo Submitted photo
Olivia Baumann, with dogs Amigo and Rumba, wraps up work on a snowman at her Hollywood home. The snowman was completed Sunday night at 9 p.m. with a little help from her dad, Mitch Baumann.
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Posted at 3:54 p.m. Monday
An emergency shelter was scheduled to open at 4 p.m. Monday at Great Mills High School as thousands of households were still without heat and electricity after heavy snows from a storm that began Sunday knocked out power lines.
David Zylak, director of the St. Mary's County Department of Public Safety, said the shelter would remain open as long as needed. The weather forecast called for temperatures to drop overnight into the teens.
About a foot of snow fell in the late-winter storm Sunday evening through Monday morning.
Schools and county government were closed down Monday, while Patuxent River Naval Air Station workers had a two-hour delay. For the most up-to-date information on weather-related issues at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, call 301-342-BASE (2273). The recorded message gives information on delays and gate closings at Pax River.
St. Mary's was hit with the most snowfall in the region and the most power outages. At its worst when winds started to kick up, there were around 7,000 customers without power at 1 a.m. Monday in St. Mary's. By 2:30 p.m. later that day, there were still about 5,000 customers without electricity locally with almost 9,000 total in Southern Maryland.
"It's been tough so far," said Thomas Dennison, spokesman for the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative. "The primary reason is the snow on the trees coupled with the wind makes for a difficult situation."
A wind gust of 38 mph was recorded at Patuxent River Naval Air Station Monday morning.
"The good news is all of our feeders and substations are back on line now," Dennison said mid-morning Monday, and there were about 70 crews out with the assistance of other utilities working Monday on the smaller distribution systems.
Between 10 and 11 inches of snow were recorded in St. Mary's by 6 a.m. Monday morning, while the Maryland suburbs of Washington D.C. saw between 3 and 7 inches.
While there were dozens of motor vehicle accidents reported Sunday evening, by Monday morning the bulk of emergency calls were for trees and wires down, Zylak said. No serious injuries had been reported up to that point.
He advised motorists, "Staff off the roads unless you absolutely have to be out there."
Crews from the St. Mary's County Department of Public Works and Transportation and its contractors were dispatched at 9 p.m. Sunday evening and were still out throughout Monday, said director George Erichsen. The snow was not especially difficult to plow, he said, though there was a layer of slush at the bottom. The problem on larger highways was the wind blowing the snow back on, he said.
The local libraries, public bus service, Meals and Wheels program and the county's trash convenience centers were also closed Monday.
Items to bring to the shelter:
-Food in general and especially for special diets as it may not be available at the shelter. Infant food and diapers. -Medical equipment and supplies such as wheelchairs. Prescription and over-the-counter medicines. -Sleeping bags, blankets and pillows as bedding is not provided. Cots are to be provided by the American Red Cross. -Personal hygiene items and a change of clothes. ï Quiet entertainment items.
