WILTON — After numerous donations came in from individuals and groups, the Wilton Public Safety Building can offer a more comfortable shelter when a need arises.

An early January storm left the town mostly in the dark as a large power outage lasted throughout the night, some homes going 15-hours without power.

The only public building powered by a generator, the Public Safety Building, was not the designated emergency shelter but police and firefighters opened the doors to the building, even transporting residents there from their cold, dark homes.

Following the incident, Wilton Police Chief Dennis Brown told selectmen there was a lack of supplies for them. Cots and other materials previously located at the Public Safety Building had been moved to Academy Hill School, the designated emergency shelter site, but it lacks a generator, he said.

“You wouldn’t believe the blankets, games, food … donations coming through the door,” Lucille Porter, administrative assistant, said of the public’s response to help equip the building as a shelter.

“Many people have called to ask how they can help and many individuals and church groups have brought in supplies. Thanks to these efforts, the town of Wilton will be much better prepared for making this a more comfortable and entertaining place to be when a power outage or other emergency arises where people need a safe and warm temporary shelter,” Brown and Fire Chief Sonny Dunham noted in a release.

Brown and Dunham are working with Tim Hardy of the Franklin County Emergency Management Agency to prepare Wilton for these types of emergencies in the future. Anyone with questions may contact either Chief Brown or Chief Dunham at 645-4876.

“We know that times are tough in this uncertain economy with so many having to save and cut back, so it was wonderful of our our citizens to step forward and help their neighbors,” they stated in the release.

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