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Main Winter Storm Enzo message from Bulloch County officials: stay off roads
Snow
In this photo from Jan. 3, 2018, the last time it snowed in Bulloch County, pedestrians and motorists carefully make their way down North Main Street. - photo by SCOTT BRYANT/file

When Bulloch County, Statesboro city and power company officials held a press conference about Winter Storm Enzo moving in Tuesday, their most repeated message to the public was, “Stay off the roads” especially from 4 p.m. Tuesday through the night.

Other key messages: Have some emergency food, bottled water and any prescription medicines ready in case you have to stay home a couple of days.

Be careful with emergency generators. Keep them outside, at a distance from your home, and refuel only after the generator has been turned off and allowed to cool. Be very careful, too, with space heaters. Use only electric ones indoors, and keep them three feet or more from walls and far from anything flammable.  If power lines are down, assume they are “hot” and stay away. Call your electric company or, if they pose an immediate danger, 911.

For homeless people or those with insufficient heating at home, the warming shelter with showers and evening meals opened at Pittman Park United Methodist Church on Fair Road in Statesboro remains in operation. Its doors close for the night at 10 p.m.

Having communicated with Bulloch County VOAD and other volunteers, Emergency Management Agency Director Corey Kemp said another location, Statesboro Mission Outreach Ministries, was “on standby” to open if he called them, and a third church, Statesboro First Presbyterian, was currently housing some hospital staff members but could be available “just in case” if needed for other people.

 

A 90% chance of snow

A winter storm warning is in effect for the area until noon Wednesday.

The National Weather Service, as of Tuesday afternoon, was predicting a 30% chance of snow, mainly after 4 p.m., rising to a 90% probability of snow and dropping again to 60% “mainly before 3 a.m.” “New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible,” the NWS website, www.weather.gov, stated for Statesboro, Brooklet and nearby areas.

A low temperature of around 22 degrees was forecast for Tuesday night, followed by a high of just 35 Wednesday, then a chillier low of 16 Wednesday night.

Speaking in front of reporters and TV cameras, county commissioners Chairman David Bennett was one of the first to advise residents to “stay home.” He expressed concern about “black ice,” which is really a thin film of clear ice that can form on pavement and bridges if snow melts and refreezes or if freezing rain occurs.

 

‘Black ice’ caution

“If you don’t have a reason to be out there, we really encourage you to stay home,” he said. “I know people are going to get stir crazy. They’re going to want to get out because it’s going to be novel …, they’ll want to see the white stuff on the ground. They’re going to think it doesn’t look that bad. Black ice is going to be a real danger. … You’re not going to see it, … it’s going to be slick, and the next thing you know you’re going to  be in the ditch.”

Officials don’t want to put emergency personnel at risk by having to send them to rescue stranded drivers, Bennett said.

Bulloch County Public Works crews and trucks would be doing “pre-treatment” of major bridges and overpasses, said county Public Works Director Dink Butler. This is done by spreading pea-size gravel, since the county government, usually encountering freezing precipitation once in five to 10 years, does not stock salt for melting ice.

The Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office does have 12 sets of snow chains for use on its vehicles’ tires if necessary, Sheriff Noel Brown said in response to a TV reporter’s question. Equipped with four-wheel-drive police utility vehicles and trucks, the department will continue to respond to any emergencies, Brown said, but asked that people not place themselves in situations that could cause them to need rescuing.

“Listen, kids love snow. … Everybody loves snow,” Brown said. “We can joke for a moment, but the biggest thing we need to understand is, on private property, enjoy your snow. … That is your business, but when it gets out on the public roadways of Bulloch County, it becomes mine.”

He suggested that people whose driving damages the roads or other public property could be arrested, but added that he really wants everyone to help him  avoid this.

Bennett and Statesboro Mayor Jonathan McCollar had both issued declarations of local emergency the previous day.  The city’s declaration, effective from 5 p.m. Monday to 5p.m. Friday, mentions a curfew, but does not fill in a curfew time. The county’s declaration omits the curfew section altogether but still activates the local Emergency Operations Plan and prohibits overcharging for goods and services.

After noting that  similar actions were taken with two hurricanes last summer and  fall, McCollar said, “I’m here  to ask you all again to be vigilant and continue watching your local weather channels and stay off the roads if you can.”

Prevention Chief Joe Carter of the Bulloch County Fire Department, Georgia Power Statesboro Area Manager Joel Hanner and Excelsior Electric Membership Corporation CEO Greg Proctor also took part in the conference, offering tips on heating and power line safety.

Excelsior EMC’s phone number to report outages is 912-685-2115. Georgia Power’s is 888-891-0938. County officials ask that power customers not call 911 to report power outages as such, but only when situations pose a danger to life or public safety.

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