After a night of heavy rainfall and with high winds still sweeping across the shoreline, Guilford is experiencing power outages and school has been canceled for the day. Emergency crews are out trying to open the roads and are asking residents to use caution when going out.

The Guilford Fire Department put a post on social media informing residents of the current situation in town:

“Guilford Fire Department has been busy all night long responding to over 20 calls that included downed power lines, fire alarms, electrical fires, carbon monoxide hazards, a motor vehicle accident involving 10 priority patients, and more. Please be sure to contact your local utility company if you see any wires down in the street. Do not go near any downed power lines. If you are using a generator, please make sure it is outside in a well-vented area. A transfer switch should be used to prevent back feeding power from your generator to the power lines in the street. This can be extremely dangerous to utility workers who are performing repairs on main power lines. Stay Safe.”

The Guilford Police Department released a similar update this morning:

“Guilford sustained significant damage during the overnight hours. Many roads are still closed with downed trees and power lines. Avoid the roadways if you can. If you see a downed power line, assume that it is live, distance yourself from it and call to report it. Sometimes the power lines are hidden. If you are approaching an area on foot and start to feel your legs tingle, walk away immediately. Electricity can carry through the ground especially due to the wet conditions. Crews are working hard to open the roadways and we appreciate your patience.”

Eversource released a briefing at 12 a.m. this morning indicating that crews are out and trying to work to restore power.

“Our crews are working to restore 911s and completely blocked roads as a first priority,” said Eversource spokesperson Cathy Lezon. “We have damage assessors and wires down guards being dispatched to areas. In some situations, we will have to wait until the winds are safe to operate our bucket trucks. We will be working around the clock tonight and tomorrow until we restore all customers.”

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