CHESTER — It's been a year since a crippling ice storm wreaked havoc on this area, causing residents to go days without power and challenging the area's emergency crews to bring help to those in need.
As the one-year anniversary of the ice storm of 2008 approaches this week, residents and officials in Chester are planning ways to make sure the town's citizens have a warm place to stay in case the power goes out again.
On Monday night, officials met with volunteers to discuss a town emergency shelter. The shelter would be located at Chester Academy on Murphy Drive and would be for Chester residents.
Interested volunteers came out to talk about this shelter and ways it could be run to bring the utmost service and community help to those residents needing a hot meal, a bed, or just a place to stay while the power is out.
Retired Chester fire Chief Steve Tunberg said the school is a perfect place to house a town shelter, and with the help of a local Eagle Scout, supplies like cots and blankets are ready to go in a trailer space equipped for shelter use.
The shelter would also have plenty of water, food staples, electricity through generators for computer hookup use, and space for individuals and families to sleep. No medical care will be available at the local shelter.
Volunteers will have a background check and other pertinent information on file at the shelter, too, according to shelter director Jodie Antoine, and workers will log in guests as they enter the space. There will be no charge for the shelter service.
Another perk from the community, local horse farm owner Kim Misco volunteered to take in residents' small pets while there is a power outage or storm situation. Only service animals would be permitted in the Chester shelter space.
Last year during the ice storm, the school was open as a temporary shelter for about 15 people who came one night, with only one resident spending an entire night. Londonderry's shelter was set up as the official regional shelter during the storm.
Tunberg urged anyone interested in becoming a shelter volunteer to call the fire department at the non-emergency number for more information at 887-3878.
