GLOUCESTER EMERGENCY ALERTS: [UPDATED 5 PM THURSDAY JAN 4 2018]
Snow Emergency/Parking Ban EXTENDED until 12 Noon Fri. 1/5/2018 / Schools Closed Friday 1/5/2017

PARKING BAN / FLOODING AWARENESS
Extreme flooding has been reported across the city with certain roads closed for public safety. We strongly recommend that all citizens shelter at home and avoid all travel outside at this time. Road conditions remain unsafe and emergency teams need all streets clear to allow effective service. Gloucester continues to enforce an emergency parking ban across all city streets until 12 Noon Friday, January 5th. This parking ban means all vehicles are banned from parking on city streets. Residents may park in all municipal and school parking lots, but please be aware that some locations have experienced heavy flooding. Please use caution and call 911 for any emergencies.

EMERGENCY SHELTERS / ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE
Emergency shelters and flooding assistance provisions are being prepared for parties in critical need. If your home is being flooded or if you are in danger, CALL 911 FOR IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE or callGloucester Police Department (Official) at (978) 283-1212. Do not wait for conditions to improve as this storm is expected to continue throughout the night. Please note the following social services in the City will be open this weekend during the storm and frigid cold.
• Thursday: Action Inc. will be open all day and night (978) 282-1000)
• Friday: Grace Center of Gloucester (and Action/Hotels at night)
• Saturday: Action Inc will be open all day and night
• Sunday: Grace Center @ The Open Door* (and Action/Hotels at night)
In the event that you lose power or heat over the weekend, the City encourages residents to shelter in place, stay with a family/neighbor who has heat and contact the Gloucester Police Department immediately for any concerns about staying safe or warm. The police can assist you in finding a place to go with power and will be working with American Red Cross of Massachusetts to assist residents in need.

POWER OUTAGES
National Grid has been reporting power outages in different areas across the North Shore, including Gloucester. If any outages do occur in your area, it is imperative that they be reported via the National Grid Customer Service or Outage Reporting phone lines as listed below. Every outage phone call that we receive is logged into our outage tracking system and better enables us to pinpoint the location of the issue. The sooner National Grid can identify the location of the issue, the quicker a response can be sent.
• The Customer Service Line is: 1-800-322-3223
• The Outage Reporting Line is: 1-800-465-1212

REMINDERS/ SAFETY INFORMATION
• All residents and businesses are reminded that they are responsible for clearing snow from sidewalks adjacent to their property.
• Please make every effort to shovel out hydrants at or near your homes, and please check on your elderly and disabled.
• Your cooperation during this snow emergency/parking ban is necessary for efficient and safe snow removal efforts, but please use the following links from state agencies for more insights:
o Safety and preparedness tips for extreme cold: http://www.mass.gov/…/service-deta…/extreme-cold-safety-tips
o Winter storm preparedness and safety information: http://www.mass.gov/…/service-deta…/winter-storm-safety-tips
o Power outage preparedness and safety information: http://www.mass.gov/…/service-deta…/power-outage-safety-tips
o Flood safety tips: http://www.mass.gov/index…/service-details/flood-safety-tips
o Winter safety tips for pets: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/winter-pet-safety-tips
Updates will be forthcoming as the storm progresses. Please check the City of Gloucester website and social media for further updates at www.gloucester-ma.gov. Thank you for your assistance and stay safe during this snow emergency.