RVC braces for first blizzard of 2017

Rockville Centre is bracing for the first blizzard of 2017, which is expected to bring 12 to 18 inches of snow and high winds to the region.

All of Long Island is now under a Blizzard Watch from late Monday, March 13, into Wednesday, March 15. If predictions hold true, the storm could become one of the biggest March snowstorms in recorded history.

Snow is expected to start to fall late Monday night into early Tuesday morning. The period of greatest impact will likely be Tuesday, beginning with the morning commute and lasting through the evening, forecasters say.

Because of this, the Rockville Centre School District and St. Agnes Cathedral School will both be closed on Tuesday. The Rockville Centre Public Library is also closed on Tuesday and canceled all morning activities on Wednesday.

There will be no garbage pickup on Tuesday. Garbage, paper and bulk pickup will be on Wednesday.

Village officials are asking residents to remove all vehicles from the roadways and limit car travel during peak snowfall periods. They are also reminding property owners that they are responsible for keeping the sidewalk in front of and adjacent to their property clear of snow and ice and removing any snow and ice from fire hydrants and clear a wide enough perimeter around the hydrant for firefighters.

Rockville Centre Fire Department spokesman John Mirando said the department was readying its trucks for the storm by topping off the fuel tanks and checking emergency rescue saws. He added that Chief Robert Seaman would be calling volunteers into the firehouses on standby early Tuesday morning so they would be ready to respond more quickly. Additionally, trucks would only respond to emergencies within their zones to reduce the distances they would have to travel.

The Rockville Centre Department of Public Works will be working around the clock to ensure the safety of the roadways, say village officials. But Town of Hempstead Supervisor Anthony Santino urged residents to stay home during the storm.

“This appears to be the big one. This will be the one where we really need folks to plan tomorrow to take the day off,” Santino said at a news conference in Point Lookout on Monday, not far from where an Army Corps of Engineers is now working on a coastal protection project for the barrier island.

“This is going to be a very involved snowstorm. We expect significant coastal flooding, we expect very high wind conditions, and we expect a foot or more possibly of snow.

"The most important thing folks can do tomorrow is stay home,” he emphasized.

“This is going to be a treacherous commute tomorrow morning. We will be working all day ... to clear our streets, but it is likely that the evening commute isn’t going to be any better than the morning commute.”

Santino also urged residents to prepare for the storm by stocking up on critical supplies, from flashlights and batteries to groceries and medication, on Monday.

“Cars should be removed from town roadways,” he said. “Cars on the street, in an event like this, only impede town workers that are coming through here … with rather big plows.”

He also advised residents with health conditions to avoid shoveling snow and call 911 only in an emergency.

Village residents can report a power outage, at any time, by calling 516-766-5800. People are urged to not go near any downed wires and to always assume that any downed wire is live. Residents should also not approach or drive over a downed wire. If a wire falls on a vehicle, occupants should stay inside the vehicle until help arrives.