Triangle White Flag Shelters and Duke Energy Preps
Wintry weather presents extra challenges for white-flag shelters
With the bitter cold expected to linger for several days - preparations are being made to help the area's homeless and marginalized communities.
In Wake County, white flag shelters are a resource for the homeless on the coldest nights, but the added layer of winter weather this weekend could create additional challenges.
"When we add winter precipitation like we're going to see this weekend, that adds layers of complexity," said Vance Haywood, pastor of St. John's Metropolitan Community Church, who oversees the shelter located at 5010 Second Street in northeast Raleigh. "Talking about the ice forming that poses additional threats to limbs falling out of trees. Not a big deal for folks who just have to clean up their yard the next day. But for someone who's living in a tent in the woods, that now becomes an additional life safety hazard."
Haywood said the winter weather also creates logistical concerns both for those seeking shelter - many of whom ride the bus - as well as for volunteers who may face challenges getting to their shelter locations.
"We have to make sure that we've got additional staffing on to be able to increase the operational periods because we will stay open throughout the day on Saturday because of this weather," Haywood said. "We also have to make sure our staff can get here. US closing isn't an option for those times and so we have to make sure that we have staff on site."
Meantime, ABC11 asked Duke Energy what's being done to make sure the lights and heat stay on for everyone - including people who may be behind on their payments or are just barely getting by. A spokesperson said they're doing everything they can to make sure people stay safe.
"We absolutely care about all of our customers during conditions like these," said Duke spokesperson Jeff Brooks. "And we do have policies in place to help prevent power shut off when temperatures are below a certain point. So those will come into play certainly when we look at some of the conditions we're dealing with."
Brooks said the next 48 hours will present challenges for their crews - and he isn't ruling out widespread power issues. His message to Duke customers: get ready now.
"Make sure you have a plan in place. If you rely on electricity for medical needs or if you have special needs that you may need to relocate somewhere. And that could be challenging when we think about driving conditions. So making that plan now is important," Brooks said.
Much has changed since the Triangle's last measurable snowfall, with thousands moving to the area - meaning thousands more Duke customers. But Brooks said they're confident in the grid improvements that they've made, including new technology that can detect outages and reroute power.
"We've been working to add additional capacity to our system and also making our power poles and lines able to withstand extreme weather, to be able to handle the potential for resisting outages," he said.
NCDOT Road Brining
NCDOT, local municipalities race against the clock to prep roads
NCDOT and local municipalities are up against the clock to finish treating roads before the snow is expected to start falling.
The State is working on major interstates and has been bringing in outside contractors to help with the efforts.
The City of Raleigh is sending out almost a dozen trucks to spray brine on heavily trafficked roadways, like New Bern Avenue and Six Forks Road.
People are saying the roads seem well-treated, but they're planning to err on the side of caution for the next couple of days
"I probably won't go out much, but if I did, I feel like you'd be ok," said Raleigh resident Gwen Brooker.
"I actually noticed this morning, at least in my neighborhood, there was salt on the roads so that was pretty nice," said Wake Forest resident Harun Samed.
Raleigh crews are treating more than 800 miles of roadway. Even though there hasn't been substantial snow in Central North Carolina for 1,000 days, the City said it's ready.
Raleigh just held its Winter Preparedness training in October, and crews have been going through mock runs of typical plowing routes and checking to make sure all of the equipment works properly.
"We've got some employees that really look forward to this and others that don't, so it's kind of a mixed bag of being excited about this. There is a little bit of excitement about it as you're preparing for it and getting ready for it, but if you got into three or four days of snow removal, that does get old," said Raleigh Transportation Manager Jason Holmes.
Sandhills maintenance workers make major weather preps ahead of winter storm
Cumberland Co. officials prepare for freezing rain, power outages
Officials said maintenance workers at the city, county, and state levels are all working to protect people in the Sandhills region from any dangerous conditions Friday'ss storm could bring. The NCDOT said its Cumberland County team has already put down over 100,000 gallons of brine.
"Even though we're Cumberland County, we handle 95 from the South Carolina state line to Benson," said Jason Dunigan, the NCDOT Cumberland County Maintenance Engineer. "I-295 is next. The whole time we're concentrating on places like Owen Drive around the hospital. We need to, we need to make brine covered in those areas: All-American. You know, all of the major driven, major traveled roads. That's what we concentrate on first."
Dunigan said they wait until the temperature is at least 28 degrees before they start spraying. He advised drivers to stay off the roads, as it makes it easier for maintenance workers to clean up.
"There's a lot of things going on in the cab of those trucks. Those guys are having to control the plows. Keep an eye on what they're putting out as far as the spreader goes. And if they don't have to look out for people trying to come around them, it's a whole lot easier on those guys."
The city of Fayetteville echoed that concern for drivers as its own maintenance workers brine city-owned roads ahead of the storm.
"We just want residents to not be too close to them so we're able to get those materials on the road as needed," said David Scott, a public information specialist for the city of Fayetteville.
Cumberland County Emergency Services said the department is anticipating some possible, isolated power outages from the freezing rain.
"Stay at home," Gene Booth, director of the county's emergency services, said. "Be prepared if you have a backup power source or if you have a backup heat source, make sure to save. If you have a carbon monoxide detector. If you use a generator for backup power make sure it's far enough away from your home and a window to keep the carbon monoxide from getting into your home as well."