More snow for Valentine’s week
News release provided by Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government
Mother Nature is sending Lexington an early Valentine tomorrow, but the message isn’t exactly overflowing with hearts and flowers, Mayor Linda Gorton said today.
“The forecasters are saying we will be getting more snow for Valentine’s week,” Gorton said. “The city has made a number of changes since the snow and ice storm in January by quickly identifying key improvements we could make, and putting them in place immediately.”
Those improvements include adding plows and transferring manpower, restocking our supply of salt and Beet Heet, and continuing our communication with Fayette County Public Schools, Gorton said. The city has 5,900 tons of salt.
Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Demetrus Liggins said, “We continue to collaborate closely with our partners at LFUCG to minimize any disruptions to schools. Our coordinated efforts prioritize safety, and we trust that any potential interruptions will align with that commitment.”
The city has several divisions that are involved in weather preparation and response:
Streets and Roads
Road crews are pretreating today and tonight. Crews will report at midnight to be ready for the weather when it arrives. Our large-truck contractor will report at 4 a.m., ready to assist with our main roads.
Lexington Police
The Lexington Division of Police stands ready to adjust staffing levels as needed to provide adequate law enforcement coverage for Lexington-Fayette County. Specialized traffic control equipment has been prepared, should it need to be deployed.
Lexington Police urge residents to avoid non-essential travel. If travel is necessary, police remind motorists to give themselves plenty of time to get to their destinations, increase the distance between yourself and other vehicles, and put your vehicle in a lower gear to get better traction. Also, in case of an emergency, try to have a full tank of gasoline, water, snacks, and other items to help you stay warm in your vehicle.
Citizens should not call 911 to check the road conditions. You can find the latest on city snow removal, delays, closings, and view the live traffic cameras at www.lexingtonky.gov/snowupdates.
Residents who see someone who needs non-emergency assistance can call Lexington Police’s non-emergency number at (859) 258-3600. In case of an emergency, call 911.
Fire
Extended preparations have been made by the Fire Department to ensure adequate staffing is available, with a significant list of members on stand-by for callback. Engines and ladders are winterized to protect from further inclement weather.
In case of flooding, the Technical Swiftwater team is prepared for possible deployment throughout Fayette County. Command Staff is prepared to rotate crews more frequently during incidents, and will remain in contact with the Lexington Emergency Management and coordinate with other government divisions.
Waste Management
Waste Management is scheduled for regular pickup on Tuesday. If collection is missed due to snow and road conditions, residents should leave their carts out until the truck empties them. Wednesday may be used to collect missed Tuesday carts, as needed.
Businesses and apartments with trash and recycling dumpsters should make sure snow plows do not block dumpster areas with snow. Locks should be left unlocked or checked to ensure they are not frozen over.
Fleet Services
The Fleet Services’ maintenance garage is actively prepared to support the frontline operations to keep public works’ crews and public safety’s first responders safely on the roads.
Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention
The Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention activated its Emergency Winter Weather Plan on Sunday, currently running through Tuesday, February 11. Activation will be extended as needed.
Under this plan, outreach staff will work to locate unsheltered individuals, notify them of forecasted conditions, facilitate access to emergency shelter, and distribute supplies. Emergency shelters will relax restrictions for individuals previously suspended for behavioral or programmatic reasons.
The Office of Homelessness also continues to make referrals to LFUCG’s winter shelter program as openings become available. Individuals can make application for the program via 211; calls are accepted Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Citizens who see someone who may need shelter can contact LexCall at 311 to connect to the Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention. After business hours, contact the Street Outreach team at (859) 551-8053 or (859) 556-1870. In case of an emergency, call 911.
News release provided by Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government
https://www.lexingtonky.gov/news/more-snow-valentines-week
