AUGUSTA -- Social service groups, local government officials and oil fuel dealers will convene today to target issues that could affect Maine residents when the bitter winter months set in.

Planning needs to begin now to handle heating and weather emergencies this winter, according to Rob Gordon, who serves as Kennebec Valley's United Way Executive Director, and Richard "Beau" Beausoleil, Kennebec County's newly appointed Emergency Management Director.

The Home Heating Challenge Group has met for the past four years, though meetings have generally been held in the winter. Although oil prices have significantly gone down over the past several weeks, many dealers are currently selling heating oil for $3.99 per gallon.

"This is a problem that has gotten greater and with that, the scope has become greater, too," Gordon said.

The Home Heating Challenge Group is organized by the United Way of Kennebec Valley. All 10 chapters of the United Way in Maine have already conducted or are planning to conduct similar meetings across the state, addressing energy challenges this winter.

Gordon said the meeting, which is open to the public, will first address strategies, such as community emergency plans, and resources that are already in place for area towns and cities, and then try to identify potential difficulties residents will face in the dead of winter.

"Basically, we want to talk about how we see the situation that we're facing this year," Gordon said.

Every municipality in Maine is required to have an emergency plan that outlines what residents should do if they are unable to stay in their homes. Emergency management agencies in each county assist municipalities with bringing those plans up-to-date.

Beausoleil said the majority of resources residents may need during the winter, like an emergency warming shelter, will be found within their own communities.

"Towns know what their resources, and who their residents, are," Beausoleil said. "People know their neighbors and they will know if someone will need to be looked on."

Beausoleil stressed the energy problem is one that "needs to be addressed now" by entities and especially individuals.

Maine Emergency Management Agency, the state's emergency management department, is not directly associated with the Home Heating Challenge Group, spokeswoman Lynette Miller said. That agency is part of a pre-emergency task force created by Gov. John Baldacci, which specifically tackles "escalating home heating oil and diesel fuel prices," according to a proclamation Baldacci signed last year.

Meghan V. Malloy -- 623-3811, Ext. 431

mmalloy@centralmaine.com