East Lyme — With a blizzard brewing and a shelter set to open in a few hours, representatives from the town and nearby communities gathered Monday afternoon around a table at the town’s Emergency Operations Center.

Emails had begun over the weekend, and a previous agreement outlined the protocol for a regional shelter, but it was down to the final checklist.

The American Red Cross regional shelter was scheduled to open Monday evening at the East Lyme Middle School for residents of East Lyme, Old Lyme, Lyme, Montville, Salem, and Waterford.

In past storms, such as Superstorm Sandy and the blizzard of 2013, the regional shelter provided bottled water, meals, and cots to residents, as well as an area to house pets.

About 20 officials, including those from Ledge Light Health District and the American Red Cross, and representatives from most of the communities served by the shelter, attended Monday’s emergency planning meeting.

The representatives checked on last-minute details for both the town’s emergency response and opening the shelter: including the coordination of transportation to the shelter on Monday — plans that could include calling back employees to work — staffing the center with police, and plowing roads.

“From the Public Works’ side, it’s all hands on deck,” said East Lyme Public Works Director Joe Bragaw.

All of the town’s crews will be out plowing roads throughout the storm, to keep pace with the snow accumulation, he said after the meeting. Cots are available, including at the Field Services Building, if the workers need to take a nap.

East Lyme Emergency Management Director Richard Morris said there will be liaisons from each town at the shelter and a ham radio that can quickly communicate a message, such as if a call comes in that an elderly resident needs transportation.

“There will be a rotation of workers — from East Lyme, Montville, etc.,” said Morris. “You will have people supplied throughout the event.”

Morris said officials, including police officers and emergency management staff, have been corresponding via email since Sunday. The communities had previously set forth the protocol for the shelter, operated by the Red Cross, in an agreement, and have experience coordinating the shelter from three previous storms.

“Each community has that outreach,” said Morris after the meeting.

At the end of the meeting, East Lyme First Selectman Mark Nickerson praised each attendees’ competence and professionalism during previous storms.

“As a team, we all seem to always come together,” he said.

But he cautioned the task before them would not be quick, and safety is paramount throughout the storm:

“We’ll get through this one hour at a time and one day at a time,” he said.

k.drelich@theday.com

Twitter: @KimberlyDrelich

If you go

What: American Red Cross Regional Shelter

Where: East Lyme Middle School, 31 Society Road

When: Officials will post details as they are available about how long the shelter will be open.

Who: Available to the communities of East Lyme, Old Lyme, Lyme, Montville, Salem and Waterford.

A pet shelter is also available, but residents should bring their pets' leashes, medications and food, rabies tag, and pet carrier.

Old Lyme officials recommended bringing to the shelter medical supplies, baby supplies, toiletries, clothing, bedding, keys, important documents, phone numbers. Residents should not bring valuables, weapons or non-prescription medications.