Snow Plan B has been implemented in the City of Winchester

Snow Plan B has been implemented in the City of Winchester as of 2:00 p.m. on Friday, February 5, 2010. The Public Works department and contractors will be plowing roadways.

Snow Plan B carries the following provisions:

• Use caution or do not travel unless necessary
• Keep sidewalks clear of snow
• Do not park along designated snow emergency routes

When Snow Plan B is in effect, it shall be unlawful for any person to:

• Operate a motor vehicle which is not equipped with effective tire chains or snow treads on any of the streets or alleys within the City
• Park or abandon a vehicle on any snow emergency route

• Obstruct or impede traffic on any snow emergency route when such vehicle is not equipped with effective snow tires or chains

The City of Winchester Police Department shall authorize immediate removal and storage, at the owner’s expense, of any vehicle that is parked, stalled or abandoned on any snow emergency route (City Ordinance, Section 14-33).

As of 9:59 a.m. on February 5, 2010 James R. O’Connor, City Manager/Director of Emergency Management declared an emergency in the City of Winchester due to the impending winter storm. The declaration will permit the City of Winchester to request assets through the Virginia Emergency Operations Center to assist with various aspects of the event.

The Parks & Recreation department has announced that Jim Barnett Park will be closing at 5:00 p.m. today and will remain closed Saturday, February 6, 2010.

The following safety precautions are provided by the City of Winchester and Virginia Department of Emergency Management:

• 9-1-1 should be used for emergencies only. Non-emergency calls can be made to (540) 662-4131.

• The Virginia Department of Social Services offers 2-1-1 for residents seeking assistance for an elderly or disabled person during the storm who need information on shelters in the area http://211virginia.org.

• If you lose power, call your power company to report it.

• Be careful using generators and space heaters. Do not operate generators in doors or in garages, they should always be operated outside in well ventilated areas. Kerosene and space heaters should be kept away from combustibles.

• If candles are utilized for light, make certain they are kept away from combustibles and should be enclosed in a globe. Candles should not be permitted to burn unattended.

• Make certain smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are operating properly and replace batteries if necessary.

Updates will follow as necessary.

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Posted by admin on Feb 5 2010. Filed under Winchester News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.