As the region prepares for the first significant storm and extreme cold of the New Year, the City of Norwalk urges residents to take precautions to keep safe during severe winter weather. Cooperation from residents and businesses is extremely helpful to the efficient and timely removal of snow and ice and the restoration of safe travel in the City. Here’s what you can do to help: 

• Stay off the roads as much as possible. Give plow drivers time to clear the roads safely before heading out. If you must go out, please allow extra time and use caution. 
• Remove vehicles from the street. If a snow emergency is declared, vehicle owners parked on Emergency Response Routes may be ticketed and/or towed. We are not expecting coastal flooding with this event, but residents in flood prone areas should also move their cars. 
• Clear snow and ice from sidewalks and footpaths that adjoin your property. Residents and community groups are encouraged to ‘Adopt-a- Hydrant’ by shoveling a 3-foot circle around a hydrant and a path to the street. In the event of a fire, having hydrants clear can save significant time. 
• For everyone’s safety, drivers must make sure their vision is not impaired by ice or snow, and snow must be removed from vehicles so it does not slide off and impact other operators.
• Do not shovel or plow snow into the street or onto a neighbor’s property.
• If you have a medical emergency, contact 911 immediately. Please refrain from calling Police, Fire, Public Works, or Customer Service to find out when your street will be plowed. Crews will be working diligently with available resources to clear all City streets as quickly as possible. 
• Snow cleanup usually takes between 16 and 24 hours from the end of a snowstorm. Cooperation in these activities will allow for quicker and more effective clearance of all city streets. 
• Be prepared for power outages if we experience high winds. Do not run generators inside your home or use grills, ovens, or stoves as heating sources.  

For more information, including winter safety tips and the City’s snow removal policy, visit the City of Norwalk Snow Center at norwalkct.org/snow.