ROCKLAND — Rockland’s new Emergency Warming Center invites those interested in volunteering to a free, required training on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., at Steel House South, in Rockland.

The week before Hurricane Lee made landfall along the coast, a coalition of community members led by Luca Mellon worked with the Rockland City Council and City Manager Tom Luttrell to provide a safe and warm space for anyone in the community to weather the storm. The City opened the doors of the Flanagan Community Center and the coalition of community members, including City Council members Penelope York and Sarah Austin, provided staffing for day and night shifts to ensure that the Emergency Warming Center was available until the storm had passed.

Following this effort to open Rockland's first overnight Emergency Warming Center, Mellon and the coalition of community members worked with Luttrell and the City Council to authorize and formalize the process for opening the Emergency Warming Center in future emergencies. On October 2, the City Council passed Order 86 authorizing the use of the Flanagan Community Center as an Emergency Warming Center, provided that the EWC is staffed by trained volunteers.

Community members interested in volunteering should email their contact information to Luca Mellon at EWCRockland@gmail.com. Please also email if you are interested but cannot attend on this specific date. CPR training will also be required.

“We would like to thank our current and future volunteers for their hard work in providing this critical service to our community,” said Luca Mellon, in a news release. “We would also like to thank the Rockland City Council, City Manager Tom Luttrell, Rockland Police Department, Rockland Fire Department, Rockland EMA, Knox County Sheriff's Office, Knox County EMA, city staff, AIO Food Pantry, Knox County Homeless Coalition, and Penquis for their support.

“Please help us ensure the Emergency Warming Center will be available for all future emergencies and cold weather events by becoming a trained volunteer,” said Mellon.