About 75 staying at warming centers in the county

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 December 2022 at 12:46 pm

‘There is far too much traffic on the roads, a never-ending stream of cars becoming disabled.’

UPDATE AT 5:54 P.M.: The Carlton warming center has been closed with two people staying there transported to the Albion elementary school.

The number of warming centers in Orleans County has grown since yesterday with 3,691 National Grid customers still without electricity as of 12:34 p.m.

The County’s Emergency Management Office estimates about 75 people have used the warming centers so far.

Two of the shelters at local schools offer a place to sleep if needed. Those schools include:

  • Oak Orchard Elementary School in the Village of Medina will be open through the night. Contact (585) 590-4199. The school is at 335 W. Oak Orchard St. Enter through the main entrance, or the side entrance off the parking lot through door #4. Medina residents also can contact the Medina Fire Department (585) 798-1661.
  • Albion Elementary School at 324 East Ave. Enter through the community entrance on the west end of the school. Barre residents can contact the Barre Fire Company at (585) 589-6107 and Barre will provide transport to the school if needed while the station is manned.

Here is a list of other warming centers that provide a place to warm up and charge devices. People should call ahead to ensure they are still open.

  • Barre Fire Company – (585) 589-6107. Located at 4709 Oak Orchard Rd.
  • Carlton Fire Company – (585) 682-4250. Located at 1853 Oak Orchard Rd.
  • Clarendon Fire Company – (585) 638-5118. Located at 16169 E. Lee Rd.
  • Murray Sta. 2 – (585) 638-8568. Located at 3353 Hulberton Rd., Holley.
  • Shelby Volunteer Fire Company – (585) 798-2015. Located at 4677 S. Gravel Rd., Medina.

Justin Niederhofer, the EMO director, said weather conditions have deteriorated since the morning with visibility very difficult.

“There is far too much traffic on the roads, a never-ending stream of cars becoming disabled,” he said.

He doesn’t expect the travel ban to be lifted until Sunday morning due to the current conditions are forecasted winds.

The Iroquois Job Corps has been evacuated with about 15 students moved to the new Comfort Inn & Suites in Medina.

Medina firefighters also are going door to door at Lakewood Village and other locations, to ensure that anyone who needs to get to a shelter has the ability to do so, Niederhofer said.

The Alabama Hotel in the Town of Alabama in Genesee County also is a warming center – and then some. The business has welcomed 100 people into the building for warmth and meals, with many staying overnight.

Joe Bradt of the Alabama Hotel posted on Facebook and thanked neighbors for bringing blankets, diapers and toys for the children, and also commended the Alexander family of Alabama Hotel Farms for making sure the Hotel has enough food for the crowd of people who are from several states.

Many of those stranded people have done the dishes, served the food, cleaned the tables and helped each other through a difficult situation.