Snowstorm May be Imminent on Saturday: Volume III | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: This impending Winter Storm appears to be registering more news that others, so we will provide this link to all posts regarding the this first winter storm of the season.

News release:

    Publisher's note: Click here to access the current PDF of the Winter Storm expected this weekend.

    Good Evening:

    The NWS has gotten the briefing updated as attached. Please note the continuing increase in Freezing Rain and Ice accumulations. Once you have this much Ice accumulation with even small amounts of sleet and snow combined with modest winds and we will have tree limbs and possibly trees begin to fall on power lines and homes. Please encourage folks to remain home and watch the beautiful snow that will hopefully be falling by 9:00am tomorrow and let NCDOT and other public service agencies work on our roads and streets. Ice doesn't play favorites: two wheel drive, four wheel drive or six wheel drive vehicles will slide the same distance before hitting something, depending on their speed and size when the slide begins.

    The bitterly cold temperatures, when combined with wind chill factors will make firefighting extremely dangerous and difficult when you arrive on those scenes. Motor vehicle accident scenes will be equally hazardous as getting to the scene will be one-third of the safety battle, ice covered roads and patient care with passing motorist on those roads will be one third and getting home safely will be the final most important third of the safety equation. Traffic control personnel must take extra care in determining proper stopping distance factors in their traffic control duties on icy or snow covered roads as opposed to dry or even wet roads. Proper positioning of Emergency Vehicles on the scene to protect victims, responders and other motorist is critical when we are dealing with inclement weather. Each incident scene during Winter Storm Helena needs to have an appointed Safety Officer with only one function: Safety at the scene.

    If you need Red Cross at a fire scene during the period of this Winter Storm, please contact the undersigned or Curtis Avery for guidance during this event only. The Red Cross will still help, however, the procedures to get the fire victims safe shelter are just a little different during a natural disaster.

    Certain Fire Stations have agreed to participate with providing temporary "Warming Shelters" for stranded motorist whose vehicles are needing towed as a result of mechanical failure or traffic accident. Long waiting periods for wrecker services could be experienced if we have a large number of vehicle accidents. Law Enforcement Officials have been given the list of the departments with contact phone numbers for each Fire Stations POC's. The Red Cross has distributed snack packs for those warming centers to give to the unfortunate temporarily stranded motorist. Law Enforcement will give the Wrecker services pickup locations for the uninjured motorist so they can be picked up and go with the driver to pick up their cars. Thank you to those departments that were so gracious.

    I also want to assure you that road conditions will be closely monitored by the EOC with the help of the Communication Section of the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office. If during any period of time while Winter Storm Helena visits should our roadways become extremely hazardous or even impassable, First Responders will be notified through text or email of the situation. Fire Chiefs and EMS Captains will be authored to respond with reduced equipment, slow their response speeds or even not respond to a call until road conditions improve to a point where the Fire Chiefs and EMS Captains are comfortable to proceed.

    This is one of those rare times in Beaufort County history when the Western part of the County could receive the greatest amount of impact. We do not expect wind gust to exceed 30mph during Winter Storm Helena, however wind chills in the single digits are likely each night. Hypothermia and frost bite can kill if not treated promptly which are two medical conditions we do not deal with on a routine basis, so please take care.

    If you have any questions, please direct them to the undersigned. Be safe out there and use care when outside for the next several days.

    Publisher's note: Click here to access the current PDF of the Winter Storm expected this weekend.

    John Pack

    Coordinator, Beaufort County Emergency Services

     1420 Highland Drive
     Washington, NC 27889
     (252)946-2046 Office   •   (252) 975-6802 Fax   •   john.pack@co.beaufort.nc.us