August 5, 2020

A message from First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons:

Our Town was hit hard yesterday by Tropical Storm Isaias. Currently, an estimated 80% of
Madison is out of power, including downtown. This is not an uncommon problem throughout
our state due to the severity of the storm. Overnight, Eversource was addressing only life
threatening calls. Today they will be focusing on critical facilities in town, damage assessment,
and blocked roads that have no way in or out. Due to the magnitude of the damage, we do not
have an estimated timeline for general restoration, but people should expect outages lasting
multiple days.

We will be opening the Town Campus Emergency Shelter today at the Town Gym starting at
10:00 a.m. Residents can use the facilities for charging cell phones, accessing potable water
and accessing the shower facility. However, due to the pandemic, please bring your own
toiletry items and use supplied cleaning items after showering. Hoses for potable water will be
located at the Town Campus circle opposite the gym. Also note that a maximum of 40 people
can be inside the gym at one time and must wear masks. To access potable water in North
Madison, a water truck is being arranged for the North Madison Firehouse. Check the Town
website for updated status.

If you see electrical lines or equipment on the ground or if you see fire, smoke or arcing from
electrical equipment, call 911. If you are simply reporting a tree down with no power lines
involved, please call the routine number of Public Works (203) 245-5611 or the Police
Department at (203) 245-6500. If you need to report that your power is out or have questions
about restoration, contact Eversource directly at (800) 662-7764. Yesterday, they had problems
with their reporting system but it should be operating now.

If you plan on operating a generator, please remember to operate the generator outside of
your home and as far away from windows, doors, and vents. Do not operate it in partially
enclosed spaces, even if using fans or opening doors for ventilation. We have had a number of
emergency calls from residents experiencing generator carbon monoxide issues. If you are in
need of fuel, the I-95 service stations and the Mobil station on the east side of town are
currently open.

I will update the community as soon as more information is available. Please understand that
public safety and public works teams are working as hard as possible to clear the roads. Please
let them do their jobs.

Stay safe Madison. Thank you.