No School/Snow Emergency begins at 8pm

4.1 min readBy Published On: February 12th, 2017Categories: News0 Comments

Mayor Marty Walsh announced on Sunday that Boston Public Schools will be closed on Monday. A Snow Emergency will be in effect on Sunday night beginning at 8am. Information on the storm will continued to be updated here!

Also, rewind the clock when it comes to space savers – after the snow emergency lifted, you have 48 hours to use space savers. But don’t forget, you need to shovel!

The Boston Public Works Department (PWD) will have 600 pieces of equipment on the roads. PWD will start pretreating roads early morning before snow starts. Street cleanup crews will remove flex posts on Mass Ave. to maintain bike lanes during snow removal.

Rules on Clearing Snow

Property owners must clear snow, sleet and ice from sidewalks and curb ramps abutting the property within three hours after the snowfall ends or three hours after sunrise if it snows overnight. Failure to comply will result in a fine issued by Boston Public Works Code Enforcement.
Removal of snow, ice from a private property to the street or sidewalk is prohibited and will result in a fine issued by Boston Public Works Code Enforcement.
Please look here for information about fines associated with improper removal of snow.

Safety Tips

Shoveling snow requires significant exertion, please be cautious and pay attention to symptoms. Stop if you feel chest pain, shortness of breath, lightheaded, nauseous/vomiting. Call 911 if those symptoms do not resolve quickly when you stop exertion.
Snow piles can make navigating intersections dangerous for walkers and drivers, please take extra care when turning corners with snow piles that might limit visibility.
Pedestrians should use caution as visibility will be diminished due to blowing and drifting of the snow caused by high winds.
Carbon Monoxide poisoning is a concern during winter weather, especially with the use of generators. Residents should be sure to use their home heating systems wisely and safety, and have a working carbon monoxide detector on each floor of your home. Call 911 immediately if you suspect Carbon Monoxide poisoning.
Sitting in a car while idling can be deadly if the tailpipe is blocked. Do not let children sit in an idling car while shoveling. Clear any household exhaust pipes of snow. For example, gas exhaust from heating system or dryer.
Remember to keep catch basins and fire hydrants clear.
Please check on neighbors, especially the elderly and disabled.
Have a contractor check the roof to see if snow needs to be removed. If roof snow can be removed from the ground with the use of a snow-rake, do so with caution. Avoid working from ladders and be mindful of slippery surfaces.

Public Libraries & Community Centers

All Boston Public Libraries and Boston Centers for Youth & Families Community centers will be open during normal business hours. Please check their schedules here.

Helping the Homeless

If you see homeless individuals out in the cold who appear immobile, disoriented or underdressed for the cold, please call 911.
The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) coordinates a city-wide network of emergency shelters, outreach providers, city agencies and first responders to assist those in need of shelter.
Emergency shelters are open 24 hours and will accept any person in need. Men can access shelters through 112 Southampton Street, and women should go to the Woods-Mullen Shelter at 794 Massachusetts Ave. BPHC and the City are working closely with shelter providers to ensure that no client is without shelter, food, resources, and a warm respite from the cold.
Emergency shelters are open 24 hours and will accept any person in need.
During extreme cold weather, street outreach teams operate with extended hours and provide mobile outreach vans on the streets in the evening and throughout the day.

Residents are encouraged to sign-up for AlertBoston to receive emergency alerts and to call 311, download the BOS:311 app, or tweet at @BOS311 with questions or concerns. Follow @CityofBoston and boston.gov/snow for the latest updates.

Here is some helpful tips from Boston Water and Sewer to keep your water flowing!

Boston Water and Sewer recommends that during very cold weather folks remember the words locate, insulate, and circulate.

Locate your home’s main water shut off valve, and learn how to use it. Should a frozen pipe burst, shutting the main valve quickly will minimize flooding and property damage.

Insulate pipes in unheated areas like basements, garages and crawl spaces. Use inexpensive hardware store materials to prevent pipes from freezing and to keep your warm water flowing.

Circulate warm air around pipes by keeping cabinet doors open, circulate a trickle of tap water through pipes during extreme cold to help prevent them freezing up (the trickle of water relieves pressure build-up in pipes

Finally, locate your water meter, protect from drafts, make sure basement doors and windows are shut tight!
If your pipes do freeze, slow thaw with a hair dryer, if you lose water in all taps call BWSC 24-hour Emergency Assistance Line at 617-989-7000.