If bad weather, storms or power outages displace you from your home, you can usually count on community centers or libraries to open up as warming centers — or cooling centers in the summer. In addition, they become charging centers. And when I say charging centers, I don’t mean places with EV charging stations, though some libraries do have them, like the Wells Public Library.
We in Southern Maine were mostly spared from the terrible flooding from the December storm. However, plenty of people have lost power. So this article outlines where you can go, for now, in Cumberland and Oxford counties for a charging or warming center in Southern Maine.
In addition, since 14 of Maine’s 16 counties are under a civil state of emergency, I’ve included warming and charging center info, as best I can, for other places in the state. Why not help out my neighbors with this information.
Charging and Warming Centers in Southern Maine
Neither York nor Cumberland counties are under the civil emergency. Nonetheless, parts of Cumberland County are near some of the worst flooding and wind damage so there are a few charging centers in that area worth noting.
Cumberland County warming and charging centers
There are a number towns in Cumberland County that have listed locations where places people can go to warm up and charge their devices. These services are available, in most instances, every day, until the power is restored. Unless specified all of these locations offer both warming and charging. If they offer anything else, I’ve included it, too.
- Falmouth Town Hall, 821 Falmouth Road
- Family Ice Center, 20 Hat Trick Drive, Falmouth (warming, water and outlets for charging)
- Freeport Community Center, 54 Depot Street (warming center only)
- Freeport Public Library, 10 Library Street
- Gorham Middle School, 106 Weeks Road (showers available)
- Gray Public Library, 5 Hancock Street (warming center only)
- Mason-Motz Activity Center, 190 Middle Road, Falmouth (warming, water and outlets for charging)
- North Yarmouth Fire Rescue Center, 463 Walnut Hill Road (public water is available from a spigot)
- Scarborough Public Libary, 48 Gorham Road
- Sebago, Old Town Hall, 408 Bridgton Road (showers are available)
Find out the weird and wonderful things you can borrow from this and other libraries as part of your library card benefits.
York County warming and charging centers
As I mentioned, towns in York County weren’t hit nearly as hard as other Maine counties. However, there are still people who need a place to go to get warm, charge their electronics, get water or take a shower.
Right now, the only place I’m aware that was offering that service was York Community Center locations in Wells and Sanford.
Charging and Warming Centers in 14 Maine Counties
These are the 14 Maine counties under a civil emergency:
- Androscoggin
- Aroostook
- Franklin
- Hancock
- Kennebec
- Knox
- Lincoln
- Oxford
- Penobscot
- Piscataquis
- Sagadahoc
- Somerset
- Waldo
- Washington
I’ve done my best to track down where residents there, without power, can go to charge their devices, warm up or, in some instances, take a hot shower.
For more information, you can find a comprehensive list of Maine charging and warming centers on the Maine Emergency Management Agency.