If you’re concerned about the severity of power outages on the Boothbay peninsula and its impact on people at risk, please come to the Opera House at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 27 to meet with and hear from representatives of Central Maine Power.

After at least two major and prolonged power outages this winter season (with the first in early November), people who do not have back-up generators have suffered from loss of electricity, running water, and sometimes heat for two or more days.

For many people with woodstoves and adventurous spirits, power outages provide a test of creativity and resiliency. But for seniors living alone, the disabled, people with infants, and those with no means of transportation nor a local support network, these prolonged outages can become life threatening.

That’s why senior citizens in our community met with our emergency response teams on Dec. 8 at three Disaster Preparedness meetings organized by the late June Phillips of our Awesome Seniors Committee.

36 hours without power

Tod Hartung, director of the Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency, and Paul Clark from the Maine Red Cross, informed us that citizens should be prepared for 36 hours without power.

Paul Clark of the American Red Cross went over what each resident should have handy in the event of an emergency, including: warm clothes, list of medications, flashlights and batteries, whistle, emergency rations, blanket, pet supplies, water and a first aid kit.

Paul stressed the importance of every senior citizen’s having a whistle.

“If you fall in the ice or snow, no one may be able to see you, but once you get a whistle in your mouth, it will blow every time you breathe and be impossible to ignore.”

Apartment complexes

The biggest issue that senior citizens from the Campbell Creek and Bay Landings’ apartment complexes raised was the fact that when the power goes out, so does their heat.

These apartments are home to some of our most vulnerable senior citizens. And neither complex has a back-up generator. When someone suggested that seniors dress in layers to combat the cold, the residents replied, “that’s not an acceptable answer, if you’re in your 80s and you have poor circulation.”

There was a great deal of discussion about why these subsidized apartment complexes do not have back up power. Participants agreed that better solutions needed to be found.

Since that meeting, Community Housing of Maine, the owners of Campbell Creek, has been responsive to residents’ concerns. They are planning to send a representative to the CMP meeting, and to meet with residents later this month to discuss options.

No overnight shelters

Both Tod Hartung and Paul Clark agreed that it is highly unlikely that the Red Cross would open an emergency shelter on our peninsula. It takes a lot of volunteers and resources to open and staff an emergency shelter and we probably do not have enough people who would actually leave their homes and come to a shelter to make it practical to do so. However, they recommended that we make better use of “warming spaces.”

Boothbay Fire Chief Dick Spofford and Boothbay Harbor Fire Chief Nick Upham reminded us that all the local fire stations (Southport, Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay, Edgecomb) are available to be used as “warming shelters.”

They are not equipped to handle overnight guests, but they do all have power, heat, bathrooms and kitchens. So, if you, or a neighbor, needs a place to go thaw out for a few hours, check your local fire station. St. Columba’s Episcopal Church in Boothbay Harbor is also available as a warming space. It is open 24 hours a day.

In fact, most of the area churches are typically open to the public.

Numbers to call

All of the emergency personnel agreed that each of us should have a working, charged mobile phone handy in case of an emergency. Ideally, keep a spare battery charged as well. If you don’t have a cell phone, you can obtain a free 911-only cell phone from Debbie Mullen at Triad (207-633-7874). Or, you can purchase an inexpensive cell phone at Walmart to use in emergencies.

In addition to calling 911 for a true medical or other emergency, Tod Hartung recommends that you call the Lincoln County Communication Center (207-882-7332) and Boothbay Harbor Police Department (207-633-5616) to let them know if you are stuck and need help, without heat, need emergency supplies, or know someone else who may need help and should be checked on.