Due to the upcoming storm, expected high winds and extreme cold, the Maine Emergency Management Agency is aggregating shelter opening info across the state. 

Individual towns in Knox and Waldo counties are monitoring the situations and will open warming shelters as needed.

Click here for information: maine.gov/mema/mema_masscare.shtml. 

“Please do not call 911 for information,” said Waldo County EMA Director Rowley. “Call only to report an actual emergency. To learn about current warming centers or shelters, call the County EMA office at 338 - 3870 or call 211.” 

On Islesboro, there is a center now open:

The Knox County Emergency Management Agency, in Rockland, has a Red Cross staffer on duty today and her primary mission is to monitor need for any level of sheltering. 

“We’ll be well positioned to get an early request in for an overnight facility should it become necessary,” said Knox EMA Director Ray Sisk, at noon, Jan. 4. “Earliest opening for a Red Cross overnight facility, if there is sufficient need, would be Friday night.”

Sisk said: “With the storm just starting, reasonably warm temps and no reported outages anywhere in our county, there is no actual need, and may not be one. That said, we are monitoring and will encourage communities to make something available at the local level if the need arises.  Emergencies will always be dealt with immediately by public safety accessible by dialing 9-1-1.

Rockport residents who lose power and have no source of heat, are encouraged to call the Town of Rockport for emergency assistance in finding a warming shelter. The first number to try is 207-939-1507 as the primary number. In the event that there is no answer, use the secondary number 207-446-8620, and the town will do its best to get you to a warming shelter.

In Waldo County, there are no shelters open.