HICKORY, Md. — Facing the prospect of clearing snow from more than a thousand miles of roads and more than 12 hundred courts, Harford County is already loading up the snowplows with salt, but County Executive Bob Cassilly cautions that the work will not happen overnight.
“Things are in full prep. The citizens should know we’re ready to roll up. It’s gonna take more than a day to clear all this stuff off,” said Cassilly, “We’re looking at some really tough, you know, between snow and ice, freezing rain and all that stuff and that’s gonna be followed up by some pretty cold temperatures.”
That means residents, who have been busy stocking up on provisions, will play a role once the snow begins falling as well.
Snowplows at the ready in Harford County
In addition to the normal health perils of shoveling snow from their driveways and sidewalks, there’s an increased risk of hypothermia and frost bite.
“We’ve got extra medic units on call. Our volunteer fire companies are going to be manning the stations. They’ll be in. Our emergency operations center will be active. Saturday evening the folks are in,” added Cassilly, “We’re working now in case we have to use that to have National Guard resources available so we’re taking this one really seriously.”
Should you lose power, the county is also planning on opening up a pair of cold weather shelters---one here at the Edgewood Senior Center and another at Patterson Mill High School in Bel Air.
It’s an effort focused on putting safety first, and that begins at home.
“In the first course, people have to take care of themselves” said Cassilly, “and so that means make sure that the windows are closed tight. The doors are closed tight. Take the extra precautions and check on your neighbors. It’s going to take the whole community to get by a serious weather event like this.”
