Flathead County opens emergency shelter after storm causes power outages
A downed power line in downtown Whitefish after a winter storm caused outages across Flathead Valley. (Whitney England/Whitefish Pilot)
Flathead County has requested assistance from American Red Cross to open an emergency shelter for the general population that is being affected by the extended power outage caused by yesterday’s winter storm.
The American Red Cross Emergency Shelter will be located at the Flathead County Fairgrounds (2635 N. Meridian Rd., Kalispell) in the 4-H Building, and will be open at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 3. This shelter is pet friendly, but only accepting dogs and cats at this time.
Those who plan to use the emergency shelter should take any necessary medications, cell phone chargers, toiletries, food, water, flashlights, bedding and anything else they need to be comfortable.
Pets will be located in another building at the Fairgrounds. Pet owners must bring their vaccination records, the appropriate size kennel for their animals, food and water for a minimum of three days, bowls and all supplies including waste bags and litter. When taking pets outside, they must remain leashed, and pet owners are responsible for picking up pet waste. There must be a family member or caretaker of the pet present in the shelter always.
Flathead Electric says the company is working tirelessly to restore power as quickly as possible to those affected by the storm. For outage updates visit: https://www.flatheadelectric.com/outage-updates/