Camden County Prepares For Pending Snowstorm; Code Blue In Effect

Camden County is preparing for a storm that is expected to drop significant amounts of snow on the region this weekend. Preparations are already underway to respond to the inclement conditions and keep traffic moving throughout the region, county officials said on Friday.

“Even though we are still hours away from seeing the first snowflake, our crews have our equipment prepped and trucks are loaded with product to address any and all situations that may arise,” Freeholder Susan Shin Angulo, liaison to the Camden County Department of Public Works, said. “Our public works employees will be on the job to keep roadways passable, but we need everyone to remain extra cautious behind the wheel.”

Officials also announced that there will be a Code Blue in effect from 7 p.m. on Dec. 8 until 7 a.m. on Dec. 10. When the Camden County Health Officer declares a Code Blue Weather Advisory, municipalities with homeless populations, situational homeless or transient populations are expected to activate their Code Blue response plan to accommodate their immediate needs.

"In these extreme weather conditions, we need everyone to be sheltered and out of the elements,” Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez, liaison to the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services, said. “If you must leave the house, please dress yourself and your children in warm clothing, hats and gloves. Also, please remember to check on elderly relatives and neighbors, and bring your pets indoors.”

The storm is expected to be a "snow event" with mixing along the coast, according to the National Weather Service. There will be slushy accumulation mainly on untreated surfaces and grassy areas. The highest accumulations south of I-195 and east of the I-95 corridor. No icing, coastal flooding or damaging winds are expected.

The duration of the storm could be long, with snowfall possible for 12 to 24 hours with predominately light to moderate intensity, county officials said. By the time this weather event is done, Camden County specifically could see 3 to 5 inches of snow accumulation.

“During these extreme weather conditions, we encourage everyone to check on elderly or handicapped relatives and neighbors that live alone,” Rodriguez said. “It is important that the most vulnerable among us are not left without heat or electricity.”

“Anyone on the roadways tomorrow should be prepared to encounter slick road conditions,” Shin Angulo said. “Remember to leave at least six car lengths behind our DPW vehicles while they work. Also, while our crews are working in the community please park all vehicles off the roadways so we can effectively plow the area if needed.”

Camden County has more than 100 pieces of equipment ready to keep county roadways passable and drivers moving. If the weather becomes treacherous, personnel will be dispatched to 12 winter maintenance districts to salt and plow 1,400 lane miles of roadways across Camden County. The county’s response plan calls for crews to be dispatched only to the zones where they are needed.

In the event that the weather causes isolated power outages, residents are reminded to immediately call their utility company so they can identify the location and coordinate crews to restore their power. Any storm has the potential to bring down trees and power lines, so residents need to be extra cognizant of any power failures. Below are numbers and contact info for the two power providers in Camden County:

• PSE&G: 1-800-436-PSEG (7734)
• PSEG website: http://pseg.com/home/customer_service/outage_info/index.jsp
• Atlantic City Electric: 1-800-833-7476; http://www.atlanticcityelectric.com/home/
• South Jersey Gas: 1-800-582-7060
• South Jersey Gas website: http://southjerseygas.com/

The Camden County Health Department and the Office of Emergency Management have worked with each municipality to ensure they have the proper resources to respond to these severe weather situations as part of their individual Code Blue plans. Each municipality has identified its own location to accommodate those in their community seeking shelter from the severe weather.

Anyone seeking shelter in a warming center should contact their local municipality. Additional resources are available by calling the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services at 800-999-9045, or by visiting www.camdencounty.com.

Rodriguez also provided some tips for keeping pets warm and safe:

• When the thermometer dips below 32 degrees, keep your pet indoors as much as possible. If your pet must stay outside, provide a warm shelter, raised a few inches off the ground, with the opening facing away from the wind and covered with a burlap or plastic flap. The shelter should be large enough for the animal to stand and turn around, but small enough to retain its body heat.
• If your pet is outdoors for extended periods when temperatures are below freezing (32 degrees), be alert for signs of distress from the cold. Just like in people, shivering is a sign that the body temperature is dropping. If you see your pet shivering, it is probably time to bring it inside. Remember, your pet’s body temperature is between 101-102 degrees and its body temperature lowers faster in cold weather.
• A very young, very old pet or a pet with a health problem is more vulnerable to cold.
• An animal with thick fur can tolerate cold longer than a small animal and one with short hair.
• Don’t leave your pet in an unheated vehicle for extended periods of time.
• Make sure your pet has clean unfrozen drinking water. Do not let your pet drink from puddles where there may be deadly antifreeze or other harmful chemicals.
• A pet can pick up rock salt, ice and other melting chemicals in their foot pads. This can harm your pet. Massaging petroleum jelly into paw pads before going outside helps to protect from salt and chemical agents. Moisturizing after a good toweling off helps to heal chapped paws. Wipe your pet’s feet with a damp cloth when it comes inside to protect its pads from damage. If this is a problem for your pet, there are boots available in all sizes. Your dog can get used to wearing the boots indoors for short periods of time. Not all dogs take to them.
• If there are outside cats in the neighborhood, knock on the hood of your vehicle and look under it before starting your engine and driving off. Cats sometimes curl up next to or under warm engines when they are left out in the cold.
• Antifreeze has an attractive scent and taste for animals and is extremely poisonous! Be especially vigilant about the ingestion of antifreeze. The first sign of antifreeze poisoning is a pet that appears drunk. Immediately get your pet to the vet if you suspect it has ingested antifreeze as it can be fatal within four to eight hours of ingestion.

As always, use 911 for emergencies only. Anyone who sees a problem on a county road is asked to call the county’s 24-hour hotline at 856-566-2980 to report it to the Department of Public Works.

Patch file photo