Local Emergency Management
Road Closures & Emergency Contact Information
In the event of an emergency affecting local roads—such as closures, flooding, or other hazardous conditions—please do not contact the Road Foreman directly, as he will be actively working in the field to manage the situation.
Instead, please reach out to one of the following contacts:
- Alice Peal – Primary contact for road closures and related concerns
📞 (802) 595-3491 - Fred Messer or Clare Ireland – Additional contacts for event-related or road issues
📞 Fred: (802) 793-2238
📞 Clare: (314) 814-9592
Your cooperation helps ensure a faster, safer response during emergencies.
📢 Stay Informed:
We encourage all residents to sign up for Vermont Alert to receive real-time updates during emergency events.
Local Shelters
Primary Local Shelter
Waitsfield Elementary School
3951 Main St., Waitsfield, VT
Alternate Local Shelter
Waitsfield UCC/Village Meeting House
4355 Main St Waitsfield
Emergency Management Roles & Responsibilities
The Emergency Management Director (EMD) and Emergency Management Coordinator (EMC) are appointed by the Selectboard to one-year terms and have responsibility for the organization, administration, and coordination of emergency management activities at the local level.
The EMD and EMC help towns plan for emergencies of natural and man-made origin, identify the resources — human, fiscal, and physical — needed to respond to these emergencies, and facilitate meetings with stakeholders and other community organizations.
Contact
Clare Ireland
Emergency Management Coordinator
- Telephone: (314) 814-9592
- E-mail: choldinghaus@gmail.com
Alice Peal
Assistant Emergency Management Coordinator
- Telephone: (802) 595-3491
- E-mail: atpeal@gmavt.net
The Town of Waitsfield updates its Local Hazard Mitigation Plan every five years. The purpose of mitigation planning is to identify policies and actions that can be implemented over the long term to reduce risk and future losses. LHMPs form the foundation for a community’s long-term strategy to reduce disaster losses and break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage. The most current LHMP was adopted in August 2024 (PDF).
The Town of Waitsfield adopted an Emergency Management Ordinance (PDF) on August 14, 2023, to go into effect on October 13, 2023.
- Vermont 211: a free, confidential referral program for Vermonters.
- Vermont Emergency Management: Vermont Emergency Management provides assistance to prevent, protect, mitigate, respond to, and recover from natural and man-made threats and hazards to ensure the safety of Vermonters and our visitors.
- Prepare Your Family and Your Home: Take simple steps now to prepare your family for hazardous weather and disasters down the road.
- Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission: Additional information related to municipal and regional emergency management and planning.