BRUNSWICK

With winter weather — and icy, slick walkways and driveways — upon us, local police departments are offering sand for seniors.

As part of a continuing partnership with Lowe’s Home Improvement, TRIAD and local law enforcement, buckets and covers were again provided to Brunswick, Bath, Lisbon police departments and Cumberland and Sagadahoc County sheriff ’s departments.

Seniors who would like a bucket of sand for the winter can contact their local law enforcement agency and make the request for sand, which an officer will deliver.

“Lowe’s provides us with buckets and lids for seniors who may have the need for sand during the inclement weather,” said Brunswick Cmdr. Tom Garrepy, “and our goal is to deliver each person who calls to request one, one bucket of sand during the winter.”

Seniors get to keep the buckets.

Often it may be family members calling to request the sand on a senior’s behalf. By midday Wednesday, Garrepy had taken four requests for sand.

“It’s a great bridge building tool for people who may have difficulty getting out,” he said. “Our goal is to make walkways safer in minimize falls.”

In addition, last winter, officers often shoveled walkways for residents who couldn’t do it themselves.

Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry echoed that the program is an added safety precaution. Fall prevention is important, he said, and can save on medical costs.

The sheriff ’s department will provide sand for seniors county-wide — with the exception of Bath, whose police department is participating in the program as well.

Bowdoinham Town Manager William Post said the town has implemented a similar program this winter as part of its age-friendly initiative, called the Sand Bucket Brigade. With buckets provided by Bowdoinham Hardware, Bowdoinham firefighters will distribute five-gallon buckets of sand to residents who can’t get to the town’s courtesy sand pile. The buckets come with lids to keep the sand dry.

For an initial delivery, residents can contact Missy Halsey at the town office at (207) 666-5531. Those who need their buckets refilled can then contact the fire department directly at (207) 666-3505.

Seniors requesting sand can contact their local law enforcement agency as follows:

• Brunswick Police Department, (207) 721-4301

• Bath Police Department at (207) 443- 5563 ext. 2215 (Officer Mark Steele)

• Cumberland County Sheriff ’s Department, (800) 266-1444 ext. 2176, schnupp@cumberlandcounty.org (for seniors 70-plus living in single home)

• Lisbon Police Department at (207) 353-2500, or private message the department through its Facebook page

• Sagadahoc County Sheriff ’s Department at (207) 443-8529 ext. 2.

Most communities offer one or two buckets of sand to its residents after storms at their pubic works departments. Bowdoinham has a courtesy sand pile at the entrance of its public works facilities at 8 River Road, and Bath residents can get a couple buckets of sand per storm at a bunker to the left of the public works building. Topsham residents can get a bucket of sand per storm from a pile outside the public works department gate or behind the police station.

Brunswick allows residents a five gallon bucket of sand per storm as well.

dmoore@timesrecord.com