THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, January 9, 1996               TAG: 9601090237
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B7   EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: THE BLIZZARD OF '96 
SOURCE: BY LAURA LAFAY, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: NORFOLK                            LENGTH: Short :   42 lines

NORFOLK JAIL WAS READY FOR THIS LOSS OF POWER DISASTER PLAN WAS FOLLOWED; CELLS WERE AT 55 TO 65 DEGREES.

The power outage that left the rest of downtown in a panic was no big deal at the Norfolk City Jail, according to Maj. Roger Stephenson, the facility's commander of operations.

``We have an emergency disaster plan, and we follow it step by step,'' Stephenson said. ``This is our natural disaster plan. Everyone knew exactly what to do.''

Emergency generators kicked in as soon as the jail lost power and its phones went dead about 1 p.m. Sunday, Stephenson said.

The city issued cellular phones to jail command staff until phone company workers could restore service late Sunday afternoon.

Deputies were issued flashlights to compensate for the poor quality of the generator-powered lights.

Temperatures in most cellblocks hovered between 55 and 65 degrees, Stephenson said.

A misdemeanor cellblock on the second floor of the jail's satellite building became significantly colder than the others.

About 25 inmates were moved to a warmer cellblock, Stephenson said.

``It's brisk in there, we understand that,'' said Sheriff's Department spokesman George Schaefer. ``But these are not life-threatening temperatures, and other than the generator, there's nothing else we can do.''

Schaefer spoke by telephone from Key West, Fla., where he and his boss, Sheriff Robert McCabe, are attending a seminar sponsored by the American Jail Association.

Electricity at the jail was restored about noon Monday.

McCabe plans to cut his Florida trip short and return today, Schaefer said.

KEYWORDS: WINTER STORM BLIZZARD by CNB