Closings for Friday, Jan. 5
All County offices, facilities and parks will be closed on Friday, Jan. 5. The Williamsburg Regional Library facilities and courts are also closed.
Curbside recycling will not be collected. Visit vppsa.org for more information.
Road Conditions
Primary Roads:
Rt. 199 has been plowed and salted. However, much of the plowed snow has accumulated on the entry/exit ramps making entry and exit onto 199 treacherous. Pocahontas Trail and Merrimac Trail have been plowed but not treated with salt. These road are clear near major intersections, but still heavy with packed snow outside of these intersections. Richmond Road has been plowed and treated. It is clear, outside of a few areas of packed snow, from the City line to the New Kent County line. Roads that have been treated are wet and will make travel extremely treacherous later this evening when temperatures begin to drop. It is advised that travel only be done if completely necessary.
Secondary Roads:
Some secondary roads have been plowed but many still have packed snow and ice.
Neighborhood Roads:
Neighborhood roads have not been plowed.
VDOT continues plowing and spreading salt and sand throughout the County. Attached is a hyperlink to see exactly where VDOT has, and is plowing.
http://vdotplows.org/.
For current traffic and travel information, visit 511virginia.org or call 1-800-FOR-ROADS.
Hypothermia
There have been three deaths in Virginia as a result of hypothermia since the storm began.
Hypothermia, or abnormally low body temperature, is a dangerous condition that can occur when a person is exposed to extremely cold temperatures. When exposed to cold temperatures, your body begins to lose heat faster than it’s produced. Lengthy exposures will eventually use up your body’s stored energy, which leads to lower body temperature.
Warnings signs of hypothermia:
Adults: shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech drowsiness
Infants: bright red, cold skin, very low energy. If you notice any of these signs, take the person’s temperature. If it is below 95° F, the situation is an emergency. Get medical attention immediately.
Snow Shoveling Safety
Avoid overexertion when shoveling snow. Overexertion can bring on a heart attack—a major cause of death in the winter. Use caution, take breaks, push the snow instead of lifting it when possible, and lift lighter loads.
Keep dry. Change wet clothing frequently to prevent a loss of body heat. Wet clothing loses all of its insulating value and transmits heat rapidly.
If you must go outside, wear several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing rather than one layer of heavy clothing. The outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent.
Wear mittens, which are warmer than gloves.
Wear a hat and cover your mouth with a scarf to reduce heat loss.
Warming Centers
Unless there is a wide-spread power outage, County officials are not planning to open a warming center or shelter at this time. Anyone needing shelter should call 757-566-0112.
Prevent Frozen Pipes
Let water drip from a fixture that is furthest away from the water supply line.
Leave cabinet doors open under sinks so heat from the room reaches the pipes.
Make sure water is turned off to outside spigots, remove hoses and attachments and cover the spigot.
Locate your emergency water shut-off valve in case a water pipe freezes and breaks.
Safety Reminders
Check on elderly or homebound neighbors, family and friends
Bring pets inside from the cold.
If you must go out, assume roads, sidewalks and parking lots are untreated and step with caution.
Be sure to plug electric space heaters directly into the wall socket. Do not use extension cords with electric space heaters or surge protector boxes.
Remember the 3-foot rule. Make sure the space heater is at least 3 feet away from anything combustible (curtains, bedding / furniture, clothes, etc.)
Where to Find Additional Information
County emergency officials urge residents to monitor local media for the latest updates. County closings and weather-related information will be posted on the County’s website, Facebook and Twitter.
County residents can sign up to receive important emergency alerts, notifications and updates on their cell phones, emails and more at JCCAlert.org. Text messages charges may apply.
Media Contact:
Renee Dallman, Public Information Officer
757-272-3337; renee.dallman@jamescitycountyva.com