FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. – As a winter storm continues to impact rural Virginia communities, Franklin County emergency officials and residents are emphasizing the importance of advance preparation and community cooperation.
Josh Turner, Emergency Manager for Franklin County EMS, says the county has implemented comprehensive coordination efforts among various departments to ensure public safety during winter weather events.
“We did a really heavy prep last weekend and continued into this weekend,” Turner said. “We coordinated with county departments, fire EMS, Franklin County Sheriff’s office, Town of Rocky Mount, Rocky Mount police department, and Town of Boones Mill.”
Emergency response teams have increased staffing levels to handle winter-related emergencies. Fire and EMS crews are equipped to assist with patient transport through ice and snow, as well as tree removal when access becomes blocked.
Turner emphasizes that rural location can present unique challenges during severe weather. “Being a rural county, access can be an issue in snowstorms and ice situations. It could take much longer than normal to get to you,” he said.
For residents using generators during power outages, Turner stressed critical safety measures. “You want to ensure you’re running your generators outside away from your house, have carbon dioxide detectors in place, and never run the generator inside,” he warned.
Locals Remington and Christian Davis shared their perspective on managing agricultural responsibilities during winter weather.
“The cows don’t take a snow day,” Remington Davis said, describing the challenges of maintaining farm operations. “It’s definitely been slick out there. I fell five or six times while feeding (the cattle).”
The Davis family emphasized the importance of community support, particularly on secondary roads.
"I also took the tractor to my grandma’s house so the next morning I’d be prepared to be able to push snow and go up and feed cows and stuff," said Christian Davis.
“If you don’t have to go out, just don’t go out,” Remington advised. “If you don’t have a four-wheel drive truck, you’re probably not going to be making it too far.”
Emergency officials recommend residents maintain:
- One gallon of water per person for 72 hours
- Extra batteries
- Working carbon monoxide detectors
- Emergency plans for those with medical conditions
- Regular checks on vulnerable neighbors and family members
While recent storms have caused some access issues, Turner reported that emergency response efforts have been largely successful. “We were very fortunate with these last weekends, with minimal impacts,” he said. “Everybody chipped in between the Fire and EMS, law enforcement, and the volunteer fire departments.”
Local resident Daryl Halley represented a more routine approach to storm preparation, stating his family “stayed the course” with basic preparations like having ice melt and shovels ready, along with maintaining a working generator and wood stove.
Emergency officials remind residents to call 911 for urgent situations involving immediate danger to life or property, including fires, medical emergencies, downed power lines posing immediate danger, and serious motor vehicle accidents.