Baltimore City Lays Out Plans To Deal With Snow
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- It may not be in the forecast right now, but the possibility of a snowstorm is always in the cards when we hit winter.
Monique Griego was there as Baltimore City laid out its plans to deal with snow.
We've escaped a major snowstorm since 2010, but Snowmageddon is still very much on people's minds. That's why the city isn't taking any chances in getting ready for everything.
In 2010, back-to-back blizzards left Baltimore under six feet of snow and city agencies under a massive emergency response.
"Snowmageddon was an anomaly that most people around here have never seen and probably hope they'll never see again," said William Johnson, Director, Baltimore City Department of Transportation.
But the city knows there's no guarantee it won't happen again. So Wednesday, the mayor and other city agencies laid out their snow response plans for this winter, which take into account previous storms.
"We take an assessment of what went well, where we had opportunities for improvement and we fine tune the work that we're doing," Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said.
This year's city snow removal budget is $2.7 million and includes 300 essential personnel and 150 pieces of equipment.
Another big part of being prepared is making sure the city has enough salt in its reserves. And as of right now, more than 15,000 tons are ready to go.
City agencies that include the Department of Transportation, fire and emergency response began coordinating months ago. They do everything from planning routes for the plows to making sure all the trucks are working and ready to deploy.
"If the trucks aren't there, then you can't move the snow. And if snow isn't moved, then emergency response individuals can't get in," said Steve Sharky, Director of Department General Services.
And while everyone is hoping to avoid another Snowmageddon:
"Especially in the Baltimore area, the weather is so unpredictable you always have to be prepared," said Johnson.
The city also reminded people to get prepared at home, so when a storm hits, they're not rushing out for batteries and supplies.
Always remember, during snow emergencies you can call 311 for assistance.
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