It may be Valentine’s Day, but Mother Nature isn’t showing Lexington a lot of love.
With ice still weighing down many branches, the city is bracing for at least one and maybe two new rounds of snow, ice and continued cold, with power outages a strong possibility.
Mayor Linda Gorton said the city is prepared. “We’ve filled up the salt barns, checked the equipment and organized the road crews. Our police and firefighters are standing by to respond to emergencies.”
Current forecasts show that heavy snow may bring dangerous conditions Monday afternoon and evening. “Citizens need to pay attention to the weather forecasts and stay home if conditions deteriorate,” Gorton said.
Overnight tonight the City will open the Emergency Operations Center to coordinate the response. The city will post all weather updates at lexingtonky.gov/snowupdates .
STREETS AND ROADS
Rob Allen, Director of Streets and Roads, said crews will report for duty at 8 p.m. tonight and resume 12-hour rotations to pre-treat and clear roads. The city is expecting a lot of tree debris. City crews will first clear streets, then sidewalks of limbs. Residents can stack debris from their yards between the sidewalk and the curb, but it will not be cleared immediately. Streets and Roads warned parents not to let children play in the snow in the street.
POLICE
Lexington Police will utilize Special Assignment personnel to check for motorists having trouble throughout the city and interstate. Officers will also be checking with homeless individuals and providing transport to shelters for those that request it. Additional all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive vehicles are being brought in to be utilized.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Fire Department has 140 personnel on duty, with all front line units staffed and operational. Extended preparation had been made by ensuring adequate staffing is available, with a significant list of members on stand-by for call back. Fire has pre-positioned equipment. (portable generators, chainsaws, and heating units) and 4-wheel drive vehicles.
WARMING SHELTERS
Warming shelters will open at 9 a.m. Monday, Feb. 15, at Dunbar Center, 545 N. Upper Street, and at the Senior Center, located behind Southland Christian Church on Richmond Road. Shelters will close at 7 p.m.
HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION
The Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention is still operating under the Winter Weather Plan. The on-call number for those needing assistance is 859-533-9199. To report someone in need after 10 p.m. call 859-258-3600.
For a list of all available shelters and transportation services, as well as other resources, visit uwbg211.org .
LEXINGTON HUMANE SOCIETY
If you have an animal-related emergency, please call The Lexington Humane Society, 1600 Old Frankfort Pike, at 859-255-9033.
Citizens are encouraged to bring pets indoors during severe weather. While local ordinances always require shelter for pets during extreme weather, most outdoor shelters will be insufficient. To report abuse or neglect call the Humane Society at 859-255-9033.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Citizens who normally have garbage pick up on Monday, Feb. 15, have been moved to Wednesday, Feb. 17, because of the President’s Day holiday. Citizens whose pick-up was missed last Thursday because of weather will get pick up service on Monday, Feb 15. During the storm, waste management will focus on trash pick-up only.
