Traffic Accidents, Medical Emergencies Pile Up In Gwinnett

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA — The Gwinnett County Police Department is currently working 69 traffic accidents, with 11 pending. There are still 17 intersections or stretches of road closed throughout the county. Stay off the roads, they advise through their Twitter account.

"Road conditions will not improve much today," reads one tweet. "The temperature in Gwinnett is not expected to get above freezing. Road ice that melts from traffic will quickly re-freeze. Stay off the roads and call 911 for emergencies!"

Police report that road conditions are icy, and people should stay home at all costs. They have worked 174 accidents since midnight.

Here is an update the Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services put out today:

Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services personnel have responded to over 100 emergency incidents since midnight last night. Incidents have included a host of medical emergencies and vehicle accidents. The call volume has been steady, but mostly routine. There was one instance where a medical unit was stranded down a hill due to icy conditions in a Norcross apartment complex. There have been no serious injuries and no structure fires reported thus far. Fire Officials are continuing to monitor call volume and weather and road conditions from the Fire Operations “War Room” at Fire Headquarters.

We are encouraging citizens to follow safety practices until the weather conditions improve. I am available this afternoon to give sound on fire department activities and safety messaging as needed.

Citizens are encouraged to stay off the roads until conditions improve. If you absolutely must travel, slow your speed and be prepared to stop early when approaching an intersection. The best practice is to stay off the roads. Travel conditions will likely remain hazardous as sub-freezing conditions continue throughout Wednesday night and into Thursday morning.

Citizens are encouraged to be prepared for the bitter cold for the next 24-48 hours.

There are several key messages that we really want to get out to the community.

1. Avoid being out in the bitter cold. If you are outdoors, be sure to bundle up by dressing in layers of warm clothing. Limit time out in the cold if at all possible. Bring pets indoors and check on children and senior adults often.

2. Drip water pipes in the home and open the kitchen and bathroom cabinets under the sink to allow heated air to circulate around the pipes. Cover exposed pipes and shut-off and drain the outdoor spigots. Slowly drip the faucets indoors to keep the pipes from freezing. Turn off the faucets when the temps go above freezing during the day.

3. When out on the roads, slow your speed and watch for black ice and other drivers. Allow extra time to reach your destination. Monitor weather and road conditions before traveling. Avoid being out on the slick roads, especially after dark. The best advice is to stay off the roads until conditions are safe.

4. Practice Fire Safety when heating the home. Keep space heaters away from anything that could catch fire and turn the space heater off when going to sleep or when leaving the room. Build a small fire in the fireplace. Be sure to put the fire out in the fireplace before going to sleep or when leaving the home. Avoid the use of candles and have plenty of battery-powered flashlights. Make sure smoke alarms are working and have a home escape plan. Never use kitchen appliances to heat the home.

5. Stay Off The Ice! Never go out on a frozen body of water like a lake or pond. The ice will not be thick enough to support the weight of a small child or animal. Post warning signs around frozen bodies of water. Simply put, STAY OFF THE ICE!

6. Avoid contact with downed power lines. Call the appropriate power company and 9-1-1 to report live wires down. All downed electrical lines should be considered dangerous.

Photo courtesy Gwinnett Police Department