County Officials Assure Residents that County is Ready to Tackle Severe Winter Weather
St. Mary's County is fully prepared for winter storm operations, with trained crews, well-maintained equipment, and all government agencies ready to assist County residents.
Depending on the severity, type and duration of the winter storm event, the County has 400 tons of sand and 1,200 tons of road salt at several locations around the County. Licensed operators/ mechanics/ building services personnel and over 60 pieces of County and contractor equipment are available for quick response to maintain over 1,250 lane miles of County-maintained roadways. Over 1,125,000 square feet of parking lots and 143,000 square feet of sidewalk are also treated to ensure County public facilities remain open and accessible.
"St. Mary's County has budgeted adequate funds for routine snow removal this season," said Commissioner President Jack Russell. "We are committed to keeping our roads safe for drivers during this time of year."
Staff at the departments of Health, Aging, Public Safety, and Social Services are prepared to assist residents during winter storms. St. Mary's County Department of Public Safety works closely with the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (www.mema.state.md.us) to monitor weather conditions.
Russell encourages residents to log on to the St. Mary's County website at www.stmarysmd.com or call the Emergency number at 301-475-4911 for information on winter storm operations and inclement weather closures.
George Erichsen, the Director of Public Works & Transportation reminds us that for a minor storm event of between 1-4 inches of snow, emergency salt routes can be treated/plowed within 5-10 hours and the balance of roadways should be made passable within 12-20 hours after the storm ends. For a more major storm that deposits 4-8 inches of snow, emergency salt routes can be treated/plowed within 12 hours and the balance of roadways made passable within 24-36 hours after the storm ends. Mr. Erichsen said, "plowing operations typically use about three times more resources than a salting operation".
"Preparing for a Power Outage" is the title of a short video airing on St. Mary's County Government Cable Channel 95 and available for viewing at SMECO's website at www.smeco.coop (click on Videos).
Source: St. Mary's County Government