Wu: Boston Public Schools, city buildings will close during snowstorm

BOSTON — Boston Public Schools and city buildings will close as the region’s first major snowstorm is set to bring almost two feet of snow to New England.

During a press conference on Saturday morning, Mayor Michelle Wu said the city of Boston had 850 pieces of snow clearing equipment on hand, and 40,000 tons of salt that crews were pretreating the roads with ahead of the storm.

“We know there’s a lot happening this time of year, and when a major snowstorm is on the way all the preparations that happen year around really kick into play, and people are working 24 hours a day to make sure we are as prepared as possible for any weather condition,” she said.

Schools will be closed on Monday, and all BPS Sunday activities are cancelled. All city buildings will be closed Sunday and Monday, which includes libraries and community centers, this includes libraries and community centers.

On Thursday, the city of Boston declared a cold emergency which will continue through Sunday morning. The heaviest part of the snowstorm is expected to kickoff at 2 p.m., around the time the New England Patriots are expected to start their AFC Championship Game against Denver.

As snow is expected to come down at a rate of 2-3″ an hour, Wu said the plows will be working extra hard to make sure the roads are as clear as possible.

“We’ll really need everyone to stay off the roads wherever possible and give our crews the space to work,” she said.

Trash will be delayed a day as snow crews make sure the roads are clear, except in Downtown, Charlestown, Roxbury, and South Boston.

Residents must not shovel or plow snow into the street, and residences and businesses will have until 10 a.m. on Tuesday to shovel their sidewalks.

Since this is the biggest snowstorm, the city has seen in four years, there have been a lot of changes in the city, said Chief of Emergency Preparedness Adrian Jordan, including a denser population, added bike lanes, etc.

“All of these changes mean snow operations might need additional cooperation and patience as crews work to clear streets safely and effectively,” he said.

Carbon monoxide is safety hazard during snowstorms, so residents should make sure they have working alarms. It’s important to clean snow off the exhaust or from your vehicle’s tail pipe and make sure that snow is not covering any of your pipes outside.

When pipes freeze, water is not flowing, and when it gets warmer out - it creates for the possibility for the water to come through a lighting system in your home.

“We have to shut power in those buildings, that’s a terrible situation for a homeowner so that’s something to look for,” said Fire Chief Paul Burke.

Open your cabinets underneath the sink near an exterior wall that will help keep them warm.

If you have a fireplace, you better have a working carbon monoxide and fire alarm in the home.

Overnight street sweeping is cancelled, and an overnight parking ban will be in effect starting on Sunday at 8 a.m. During that period of time, the Boston Police Department and the Boston Transportation Department will strictly be enforcing that ban.

There will be resident parking for free and discounted, residents can find where to park at boston.gov/snow. This will begin at 6a on Sunday, and discounted parking will end 2 hours after the emergency is lifted.

Residents will have 48 hours to move their space savers after the end of the snow emergency, and parking is not allowed in BPS schools lots.

Boston Police, Boston Fire, and Boston EMS will have additional staff on call.

“We’re encouraging everyone to go out ahead of time, get your snacks for the Patriots game now,” she said.

If possible, business and offices should tell their employees to work from home on Monday.

Boston Police Chief Michael Cox encouraged residents to check on their senior neighbors, and to call 311 for non-emergencies. If you see folks that are unsheltered and need attention, you can call 911.

Posted speed limits are not appropriate for the extreme weather expected so it’s important that if you are traveling, you slow down on the road.

Regarding the New England Patriots game, Cox said the department shared with college communities in the city that activities should be inside, and if people happen to see a large party or any disruptive behavior, they should call police.

“We expect our Bostonians to live up to the expectations we have for them,” he said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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