Fontana, Borer Lead Winter Exercise To Test Public Safety Readiness In West Haven

Written by Michael P. Walsh

WEST HAVEN, CT — Emergency Management Director Rick Fontana and Mayor Dorinda Borer led city, public safety and United Illuminating officials in a winter readiness exercise in the Emergency Operations Center at City Hall on Wednesday, Dec. 17.

Fontana used new Promethean interactive weather map displays to provide a detailed update on West Haven’s readiness for preparing for and responding to snowstorms this season.

Borer opened her remarks by thanking officials for “everything you do.”

The mayor then stressed the importance of collaboration among city departments and supporting agencies, such as UI, a subsidiary of Orange-based Avangrid Inc.

“All levels of accumulating snow require an all-hands-on-deck approach that is vital during storms, from applying anti-icing solutions, salt, sand and plowing to parking bans, traffic safety, school cancellations and a comprehensive communications plan for residents,” Borer said. “With the first storm under our belt, this was a perfect time to assess the strengths of the process.”

Fontana said, “Bringing Public Works, emergency responders, 911 Communications and the city’s many supporting agencies to the EOC maximizes communication, coordination and collaboration during snow emergency operations.”

Chiefs of West Haven’s Police Department and three fire departments participated in the hourlong training exercise, along with officials of the Board of Education, the Department of Public Works and other city departments, including Health, Elderly Services and Economic Development.

Greg Milano, UI’s key account manager, also took part.

Officials tested their readiness “to ensure that the highest level of public safety remains first and foremost,” Borer said.

The training exercise and media event also showcased some of the city’s new state-of-the-art snow equipment, including an anti-icing sprayer for pretreating roads, plowing and snow removal equipment, and emergency all-terrain vehicles, which are critical in transporting assets and patients on roads impacted by heavy snow, Fontana said.

The 1,000-gallon sprayer, which contains magnesium chloride, an anti-icing agent, is mounted on a DPW mason dump truck and applies a regulated amount of magnesium chloride liquid per roadway mile compared to many more pounds of granulated salt per roadway mile.

Fontana said that magnesium chloride is better for the environment and much more cost-effective than salt, adding that the same liquid is used by the state Department of Transportation to pretreat highways.

“Most importantly, the liquid will increase roadway safety, reducing motor vehicle accidents during slippery conditions,” he said.

Magnesium chloride is typically applied to roadways 24-48 hours before a storm. When snow reacts with the liquid, the snow becomes water.

West Haven’s product also contains an anti-rust inhibitor.

The city stores the magnesium chloride liquid in two 3,000-gallon tanks at the DPW garage on Collis Street.

According to Fontana, West Haven has 130 miles of roadway surface, 561 roadways and 102 dead ends, but mostly roads on hills and around schools, overpasses, and police and fire stations will receive the magnesium chloride treatment, he said.

Borer said the city plans to equip more DPW trucks with anti-icing sprayers.

West Haven has seven snow emergency routes.

When an official snow emergency is declared by Borer, usually in a major storm of at least 6 inches, a parking ban will run from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. on both sides of Campbell and Savin avenues, Morgan Lane, Elm Street, Meloy Road, Second Avenue from Elm to Beach streets, and Main Street from Savin to Washington avenues.

Otherwise, once snow begins to fall, a parking ban is in effect on the even-numbered side of most roads, unless one is posted with a “No Parking” sign on the odd side.

West Haven Emergency Management Director Rick Fontana leads city, public safety and United Illuminating officials, below, in a winter readiness exercise in the Emergency Operations Center at City Hall on Wednesday, Dec. 17. (City Photos/Lindsay Katz)

West Haven Mayor Dorinda Borer speaks to city, public safety and United Illuminating officials, below, about the importance of collaboration among West Haven departments and supporting agencies, such as UI, a subsidiary of Orange-based Avangrid Inc. (City Photos/Lindsay Katz)

This press release was produced by the City of West Haven. The views expressed here are the author’s own.