Loudoun, Leesburg Officials Ask for Patience as Snow Recovery Efforts Continue 2016
Loudoun County officials are thanking residents for their patience as the recovery from the weekend’s historic snow storm continues. At a news conference Tuesday, Loudoun Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall urged residents to continue “what you are already doing – helping your neighbors, getting people out. You have been amazing: taking food to snow plow operators, making phone calls to check on elderly neighbors, and helping strangers.”
Randall, along with Leesburg Vice Mayor Kelly Burk and Virginia Department of Transportation representative Jennifer McCord, urged residents to continue to stay off the roads to allow snow removal crews room to clear the roads.
McCord said VDOT’s goal is to make one lane of all subdivisions passable by 6:00 a.m., Wednesday, January 27, 2016. If residents do not have one passable lane by 6:00 a.m. Wednesday, they can contact VDOT at 1-800-FOR-ROAD or novainfo@vdot.virginia.gov . Randall added that if residents continue to have access issues, they can contact their district representative on the Board of Supervisors. Contact information for the Board is online at www.loudoun.gov/bos. Burk said the town of Leesburg’s “number one priority is getting access to all the residents.” Leesburg’s Director of Public Works and Capital Projects Renée LaFollette said the town’s goal is to have at least one path plowed on each residential street by 7:00 p.m. Wednesday.
Randall said county crews are working to clear sidewalks, driveways, parking lots and entry ways to county government facilities in an effort to reopen those facilities as quickly as possible.
Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman and Combined Fire-Rescue System Chief Keith Brower addressed public safety issues. Chapman thanked residents for heeding the call of emergency personnel to stay home during and after the storm. Chapman said his office responded to more than 250 disabled motorists over the past few days, 60 abandoned vehicles, and 40 weather-related crashes. Brower said his staff has responded to about 550 incidents since Friday, which is about double the normal number of incidents.
Brower called on the public to continue helping firefighters by clearing a three-foot radius around fire hydrants, including residents of western Loudoun where there are dry hydrants. He also reminded residents to work in small increments when shoveling snow, as it can cause great exertion on the body and lead to cardiac arrest. He reminded residents if they are suffering a medical emergency, do not delay and call 911 immediately.
Also attending the news conference were: Board of Supervisors Vice-Chairman and Ashburn District Supervisor Ralph Buona, Broad Run District Supervisor Ron Meyer, Leesburg District Supervisor Kristen Umstattd, Leesburg Council Members Tom Dunn and Suzanne Fox, Town Manager Kaj Dentler and Chief of Police Joe Price.
Loudoun County continues to provide updates on the effects of the storm at http://www.loudoun.gov and Facebook and Twitter.
Category:
Archived News
| Posted: 01.26.2016
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