20070216 County responds to major storm

County responds to major storm

Carroll County, Maryland, USA

February 16^th, 2007

While I was on the phone with Vivian Laxton, W.A.B., the public information officer for Carroll County; the picture above was my view from my office in Key West.

Ms. Laxton, please enjoy the picture and please know that the wind has picked up down here and the skies have become overcast. So much so that while I was talking with you on the phone, I had to put on a long sleeved shirt.

The bottom photo is from when I was I was talking with the Westminster Police Chief, Jeff Spaulding and Ashley Reams, a reporter with the Westminster Advocate, earlier in the day.

Yeah, I’m thinking of all of ya. We’re roughing it down here – and I know you care. I guess the temperature has dipped to the high 70s.

Anyway, now where was I? Oh, that’s right, the press release from Ms. Laxton, W.A.B., P.I.O. for Carroll County”

CARROLL COUNTY a great place to live, a great place to work, a great place to play

News Release

For more information, contact: Vivian D. Laxton, W.A.B., Public Information Administrator.

For Immediate Release

County responds to major storm

http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/releases/stormtotals.pdf

February 15, 2007 - Carroll County's Department of Public Works employees spent approximately 6,160 man-hours clearing 973 miles of county-maintained roads during and after the winter storm that moved through the area Tuesday and Wednesday, February 13-14.

Crews began treating roads at 4 a.m. on Tuesday and continued well into Thursday. One to 3 inches of snow fell during the day Tuesday. Between 7 p.m. Tuesday and 7 a.m. Wednesday, another 6 to 7 inches of sleet fell over much of the county. When rain began to mix with sleet early Wednesday, the sleet soaked up the moisture like a sponge. The extreme weight of the
precipitation made it difficult for plows to move.

With approximately 110 employees clearing 50 snow plow routes, usually streets can be cleared of 6 inches of snow eight hours after the storm ends. Because of the heavy accumulation, the Valentine's Day storm took twice as long to clear. About 2,500 tons of salt were used by county crews. Sixty-two pieces of equipment, including 55 trucks, six motor graders and a rubber tire loader, were utilized by the county and its contractors to plow.

In addition, the county's Department of General Services had crews working from midnight Monday through Thursday to clear ice and sleet from parking lots at Carroll Community College, the Circuit Courthouses, senior centers, libraries, Carroll Area Transit Service, Board of Education, and county offices.

Approximately 51 employees worked to clear the lots and 2+ miles of sidewalks, half a mile of ramps and steps, and 15 trucks and numerous heavy-duty shovels and ice chippers. Two front-end loaders were rented to push the snow off the lots and to clear drains. The Bureau of Fleet Management worked 12-hour shifts to keep county trucks operating, fixing hydraulic lines and pumps, transmissions, rear axles, windshield wipers, and welds on plows.

The Office of Emergency Management continuously monitored conditions throughout the storm. The only major incident reported was a roof collapse at a barn in New Windsor. None of the 25 head of cattle inside was injured.

Because most businesses closed and residents stayed off the roads, the number of traffic accidents was kept to a minimum. Law enforcement agencies reported a total of 70 weather-related incidents through the duration of the storm, not counting in Westminster City.

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