City of Richmond Highlights Preparedness Efforts for Winter Season
RICHMOND, Virginia - With the season's first snow already underway, the City of Richmond is sharing updates on its readiness plans and offering helpful tips to help residents stay safe during the winter season.
Citywide Preparedness Efforts
Ahead of the winter season, departments across the city have been working together to ensure that the city stays moving, informed, and supported throughout the season.
- Coordinated Emergency Readiness: The Department of Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response continues to regularly monitor weather conditions for the region and host weather briefings with key city departments to maintain shared situational awareness and coordinated readiness for any potential weather impacts.
- Snow and Ice Response Preparation: The Department of Public Works has conducted training for staff and completed practice runs of its 60 snow routes. This allows for city crews to become familiarized with routes, test equipment, and identify any operation issues to ensure that plow operators can safely navigate challenging areas. To support winter operations, the city currently has 5,000 tons of salt and 2,000 tons of sand along with 2,000 tons of a mixture of sand and salt, as well as chemicals designed to prevent bridge surfaces from freezing when the temperature is colder than 35 degrees.
- Park Facilities Winterization: The Department of Parks & Recreation is prepared for winter with stocked "Ice Melt" and other products to mitigate ice and snow, inspected snowplows for trucks and equipment, and updated inventories of all snow and ice removal equipment, tools, and supplies.
- Safeguarding Critical Utility Services: The Department of Public Utilities has prepared its systems and crews for uninterrupted operations of water and wastewater services throughout the winter. In addition to ensuring critical infrastructure is winterized, DPU crews can assist with snow plowing operations as needed. In the event the city is closed due to inclement weather, residents can report utility emergencies by calling 804-646-4646 and use option one.
"As temperatures drop, our priority remains the safety and well-being of every resident, and I'm proud of how city departments have been working together to ensure Richmond is ready for the season," Mayor Danny Avula said in a statement. "Winter weather affects all of us. By planning ahead, residents can stay safe, and our city teams can respond effectively when inclement weather strikes."
"Our goal is simple: Keep residents informed, maintain safe operations across the city, and protect our community no matter what the winter season may bring," said Stephen Willoughby, Director of the Department of Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response.
Winter Safety
Safety is a shared responsibility, and the City of Richmond offers these tips for staying safe during the winter season:
- Sign up for Richmond Ready Alerts to receive critical emergency and weather notifications from the city of Richmond. Text RVAREADY to 888-777 to receive a sign-up link or visit rva.gov/richmondreadyalerts to learn more.
- Please ensure your vehicles are winter-ready, with proper tires and antifreeze levels. Be cautious when traveling and allow extra time to reach your destinations, drive slowly, and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles.
- Never use stoves or ovens as a heat source. Use only safe sources of alternative heat such as a fireplace or a portable space heater.
- Be cautious when using a generator and ensure that it is positioned outdoors in a well-ventilated area, away from windows and doors to prevent carbon monoxide buildup inside your home.
- Limit your time outside. If you need to go outside, then wear layers of warm clothing.
- Be vigilant when walking outdoors; icy surfaces can pose a hazard. Ensure that walkways and driveways are cleared of snow and ice to prevent slips and falls.
- In case of power outages, have emergency supplies on hand, including food, water, and flashlights. To report power outages, downed power lines or damaged electrical equipment, contact Dominion Energy at 1-866-366-4357.
- Secure and reinforce all windows, roofs, doors, and garage doors.
- Continue to monitor weather conditions and stay informed through trusted sources, like local news outlets and The National Weather Service Wakefield.
The City of Richmond also partners with the Salvation Army to provide an inclement weather shelter for residents in need of a warm and safe place. The shelter is open every night from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. and located at 1900 Chamberlayne Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23222.
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The City of Richmond's Department of Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response sustains citizen trust by providing reliable emergency preparedness management and communications services in a timely and efficient manner. DECPR is designated as the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for the City of Richmond's E-911 telephone system and is charged with the appropriate routing of all E-911 and non-emergency calls for service. The department is also responsible for the coordination of all emergency radio and telephone communications for public safety agencies in the City of Richmond.
