Staunton officials are continuing to monitor the approaching ice storm and will open our Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and / or emergency shelters if conditions warrant. City emergency officials have met with their counterparts from Augusta County and Waynesboro to coordinate a response to the storm. Any action taken will be announced through email media advisories, the city Internet site, the government access channel (Cable Channel 14) and via the city’s recorded emergency phone line.
The emergency phone line – 213-6516 – has been activated. We would appreciate your publicizing that number for public use if the storm becomes significant. The emergency line will be used for recorded status messages and announcements only. If an emergency is declared, other phone numbers will be activated for media and public use (see below).
The initial impact of this storm will be ice on roadways. Note that salts and chemicals normally used to clear roadways are not effective at the very low temperatures that are forecast for the next several nights. If icing occurs and these low temperatures do appear, we would appreciate your help in strongly urging people to stay off roadways until conditions improve. You may wish to remind the public that snow tires and four-wheel-drive vehicles do not have traction on ice. Even chains give only marginal traction.
The other major impact of the storm is expected to be widespread power outages. Residents should be urged now to charge up any cell phones, or rechargeable lights or radios before power goes out. Also they should locate and test flashlights and other emergency lighting.
If widespread power outages occur, the city and/or Augusta County may open emergency shelters for those without heat in the extreme cold weather.
Persons coming to a shelter should bring any needed medicines and special medical equipment. They should also bring personal care items, blankets, pillows and sleeping bags. If the family has an infant, they should bring formula, diapers and other needed infant items. Battery radios may also be brought into shelters.
Shelters will not allow alcohol or illegal drugs, weapons of any kind, or pets.
If people must leave their powerless, cold house for a shelter or to stay with friends/family, they should turn off all water and open all faucets in the home to drain pipes to avoid freezing damage in the extreme cold.
If you have questions that I can help with, please call me at my office 8 to 5 – 332-3838 – or on my cell phone – 290-4800. If the city opens its emergency center, you may call there using the numbers – 332-3888, 332-3890 or 332-3891. Those numbers may also be given to the public. Those numbers are not active until and unless the EOC is opened.
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