Petrone Declares Emergency Ahead of Storm

 Huntington Supervisor Frank P. Petrone declared an official snow emergency, as of 11 p.m. Tuesday night, and announced that the opening of would be delayed until 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Petrone also said there will be no recycling pickup of bottles and cans Wednesday. Instead, residents will have two pickups on their next regular refuse collection day – one for garbage in the morning and one for recyclables in the afternoon.

And highway superintendent said, "This has the potential to be a big snow storm," and asked residents to do the following:

• Please park cars in your driveway.
• Please do not plow, shovel, or blow snow into the road. It gets packed down and unplowable.
• Please shovel the snow to the left of your driveway (as you look at your house from the road). Preventing what you have shoveled from being plowed into your driveway again.
• Please stay off the roads during the storm unless it is an emergency.
• Please be aware of any handicapped residents or senior citizens that live near you and please keep an eye on them during this storm as they may need assistance.

The highway hotline number is 631-499-0444.

The Huntington school district said that when a storm arrives, superintendent John Finello is in contact with the director of facilities, Paul Rispoli and the school board president, Bill Dwyer, throughout the night/morning. He also speaks with area superintendents and the bus company.  Rispoli reports on local road conditions and the status of each building (are parking lots and bus circles plowed out and are sidewalks cleared.) He receives a weather report on expected conditions. He then makes the call on whether to open as usual, delay the opening or close the district.

  “We have been tracking the storm, and it is now clear that a significant snowfall will occur overnight,” Petrone said. “I am declaring a snow emergency now, effective later tonight, to let our residents make appropriate plans and to put Town workers on notice they might be needed at any time to assist in dealing with the storm’s effects.”  

   Under a snow emergency, the supervisor has the power to close roads, appropriate necessary equipment from all sources and make necessary purchases without following the usual procedures. The declaration also makes available to the Highway Department Town equipment and personnel to assist Highway Department crews.

The supervisor also ordered the Town's Emergency Operations Center to open at 11 p.m. Representatives from several town departments with key emergency responsibilities were told to report to the Center, in the town's general services facility on Pulaski Road in Huntington Station.

Residents needing to contact the Town should call 351-3234 for emergencies.

Meanwhile, some oil companies reported a surge in request for deliveries ahead of the storm.

One oil delivery truck driver said, "W'ere inundated because people are trying to get ahead of the storm. But it's okay. I'll rest in July."

With snow still on the ground from the last storm, John Zadrozny of said, "We are reminding  customers to clear a safe path to their oil fill for the driver.  Also to make sure the full is dug out and clearly visible.   Otherwise the driver might not be able to fill the tank."

"We usually work long days before big snow storms to make sure our customers have enough oil and stay warm.   It's not safe to deliver oil when the roads are bad, so most companies will try to get ahead before the storm," he said. "Also, those last minute 'cash-on-delivery' non-contract customers are worrying now so they are calling to make sure they don't run out of oil.  Not having a service contract is dangerous because with all full service companies, contract customers receive priority."

The Long Island Contractors Association reported that its hundreds of members  around the region "are on standby throughout Long Island and the metropolitan region to begin snow removal as soon as the first flake falls."