Emergency Management Directors prepare for Winter Storm Fern
CHICKASAW COUNTY, Miss., (WCBI) — As Winter Storm Fern begins to move into our area, people are preparing to hunker down over the weekend.
First Responders are hoping that they don’t have to get out in the dangerous conditions, but they are taking the necessary steps to do that and do it safely.
As Winter Storm Fern creeps toward North Mississippi, the cold may have you thinking about Elsa and Olaf in a popular Disney movie.
But the version of Frozen being predicted by the National Weather Service and our own Weather team may not be so fun.
Chickasaw County Emergency Management Director Linda Griffin tells WCBI, that if you don’t have to get out in this weather — then stay put.
But, if you must, make sure you’ve filled up your tank and packed your patience.
“If you get on the road and its icy, what normally may be a five-minute trip, is gonna be a 35-40 minute trip. So, you’re gonna need more fuel in your car. And the last thing you wanna do is run out of fuel on side of the road in sub temperatures because you can get in trouble real fast health wise,”
She says that people also need to have a back-up plan for heating their homes during this winter storm event. It’s also a good idea to charge all of your electronics and have extra bottled water on hand.
“Have an alternate way of powering heat in your home. While we do have power, make sure your cellphones are fully charged so you can call for help if needed and be patient with those power companies if power does go out and we have the ice that brings the trees down on the power lines or the ice that bring the power line down, we could have an extended time of power outages,”
“Have extra bottled water at your house in case the water has to be cut off for any reason, you got a backup water source as well,” she said.
Griffin also advises against going out sightseeing during the storm and its aftermath.
“Don’t get out on the road, especially if there’s no emergency and no need to be out on the road. It’s safer to stay at home and you staying at home means our first responders get to stay at home as well and we don’t have to be out on a dangerous road and these people that live out in the rural areas where the road take a little longer to thaw because of the overhanging of the trees, take that into consideration. The main roads will typically usually be open because of the traffic on them to keep it open as far as melting the ice. But these back roads are extremely dangerous because it takes them longer to thaw out and to clear.”
