SALEM, Va. – With the possibility of a winter storm looming, we’ve been checking in with local agencies in charge of keeping the roads clear and the power on.
“Last year, we didn’t have a lot of storms, so we didn’t use as much of the things that we typically prepare for,” Virginia Department of Transportation spokesperson Jen Ward said. “This year, the almanac says that it’s going to be different.”
Ward said they’ll hold their first preparation meeting on Wednesday. There, they’ll determine how they’re going to utilize staff and the approximately 1,000 pieces of equipment they have available to battle the potential storm.
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“Our crews will be on the roadways monitoring the conditions wherever they are in 12-hour shifts, 24 hours a day throughout the duration of the storm,” Ward said.
Appalachian Power spokesperson George Porter said they’ll be keeping an eye on conditions throughout the week as well.
“We’re just trying to prepare our crews and our employees to make sure we have enough people staffed as we can,” Porter said.
In the meantime, they recommend the public gather items now they may need if the power goes out.
“There’s not a lot we can do in the eye of the storm, so if something does happen we ask customers to be patient with us,” Porter said. “Most important thing right now is to start preparing for the possibility of that storm.”