[Press Release] : FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: City prepares response to winter weather

[Press Releases]

You have received this message because you subscribe to the City of Columbia’s Web Mail service. To view linked material click on provided links or copy and paste them into your browser's address menu.
______________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Renee Graham, Public Communications Officer, 573-874-7316 or 573-819-9365 ryg at GoColumbiaMo.com
 
Zim Schwartze, Director of Emergency Management, 573-874-6325 zim at gocolumbiamo.com


City prepares response to winter weather

COLUMBIA, MO (January 31, 2011) - To ensure the safety of all citizens, the City of Columbia, in conjunction with the Columbia/Boone County Office of Emergency Management, is coordinating efforts to keep the public informed about preparations for the winter storm forecast for Tuesday, Feb. 1 and Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011

Safety Tips

*Refrain from      travel if possible - if walking, beware of slippery conditions

*Remember road      conditions can change and become dangerous in a short amount of time - and are expected to      deteriorate quickly on Tuesday

*Please keep      parked cars off streets as often as possible, so they do not block road      crews or emergency vehicles

*If you      absolutely must travel, have an emergency kit in your vehicle

*If stranded in a      vehicle, keep snow cleared from exhaust, run only occasionally to keep      warm,  slightly open a window that is down wind while vehicle is      running, leave dome light on at night, if you can't see a residence - do      not try to walk to safety

*For emergencies      and life-threatening situations, call 9-1-1

*For      non-emergency assistance and non-injury accidents call the non-emergency      line      573-442-6211

*Check road      closures at www.showemboone.com/OEM/closures or Missouri Department of Transportation at www.modot.org

*Prepare homes      with necessary supplies: food, water, medicine and other essential items

*Don't use      unauthorized heating devices that may cause fires or carbon monoxide      poisoning 

*Check on family,      friends and neighbors that could be at high risk of cold-related injury or      illness including the elderly, those that      are fighting an illness and people who do not have access to adequate heat.

*Warming centers      and shelters are available throughout the community. A list of cold-relief      facilities can be found at the end of the      document

*Exercise caution      when shoveling snow - beware of overexertion and slippery      conditions.  

*Scoop snow to      the right side of the driveway (as you are facing the street)  to      avoid having driveways plowed shut

*Provide proper      shelter for pets and provide fresh water and food supplies on a regular      basis.

Public Safety and Emergency Weather Operations - Updates   
The City's goal is to provide quality essential services to the best of our ability.  According to City Manager Bill Watkins, "Essential operations are those that must continue to assure the public safety and general welfare of citizens." 

Office of Emergency Management

*Partially      activating the Emergency Operations Center and coordinating with the City,      County and      other public and private entities

 Joint Communications

*Is staffed with      round-the-clock operators and has on-site employees standing-by

*Non-emergency      dispatch number 573.442.6131

Columbia Fire Department

Beginning at 07:00 am on Tuesday, February 1, 2011, the Columbia Fire Department will staff three reserve engines, a reserve rescue squad, a reserve ladder, and two fire department snow plow trucks in addition to the normal daily resources

*Non-essential      personnel will be out, with the exception of support staff available to      handle extra duties as required 

*The staffing of      additional resources will continue as long as conditions warrant  

*Fire      non-emergency dispatch number 573.442.6131

Columbia Police Department

*Has secured      several four-wheel drive vehicles to help officers get around and a      lieutenant will be on duty at all time 

*The front lobby      of the department will be open and a phone will be available for      emergencies, but it will not be staffed 

*Non-essential      police services, such as records clerks, front desk personnel, and      community service aides are being suspended until the weather improves

*Vehicles that      become immobile will not be removed unless they are obstructing traffic 

*Police      non--emergency dispatch number is 573.442.6131 

*Police encourage      citizens to use the online reporting system on the city's website at  

http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Police/Crime_Reporting/index.php

Public Works

*Has 18      snowplows, plus other equipment such as backhoes and graders, that will be      aiding in snow removal on 500 miles of streets 

*Crews will begin      salting of bridges Monday evening

*Snowplow drivers      work in 12 hour shifts, changing at 8am and 8pm - overtime will be      utilized as needed until streets are safe and passable

*Crews from other      city departments also pitch in to help with snow removal 

*The city's salt      dome is full, however, cinders might be required if temperatures are too      cold for the salt alone to work - Calcium chloride, which is a liquid      melting agent, might also be used in case of ice 

*Please keep      parked cars off streets as often as possible. Parked cars are an obstacle      to clearing the street well and pose a hazard that plows must maneuver      around - streets can be plowed more thoroughly with fewer cars parked on      the street

*City crews      maintain priority routes first (critical, 1st and 2nd priority streets), then move to residential streets once the priorities      are safe and passable - keep in mind safe and passable does not mean down      to dry pavement 

*Cul-de-sacs will      not be plowed or treated

*Priority streets      are listed online at: http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/PublicWorks/Streets/SnowPriorityStreetsbyName.php

Water and Light

*Running standard      24-hour operations with back up staff on standby 

*Line crews and      tree trimming crews are geared-up 

*Dispatchers will      be working normal hours  

*Water Leak and      Electric Outage 24-hour contact 573.875.2555

*Sewer Emergency,      24 hour contact 573.445.9426

Cancellation of Services and Closures

*Columbia Transit      and ParaTransit will not operate on Tuesday or Wednesday. Bus service will      return on Thursday, but may be running on the emergency weather service      depending on road conditions. - notices will be sent as update are      available

*Parking meters      will not be enforced on Tuesday or Wednesday

*There will be no      trash or recycling collection on Tuesday or Wednesday this week (these are      not delayed)  - trash and recycling normally picked up on Tuesday or      Wednesday will resume next week 

*Trash pick up is      expected to resume Thursday, but service could be slower than normal due      to road conditions  

*The sanitary      landfill will be closing at noon on Tuesday and will be closed all day      Wednesday

*Building and      Site Development will be closed, so building permits and other related      services will not be available on Tuesday or Wednesday

*The electronic      waste collection originally scheduled for Saturday, February 5 at the Home      Depot parking lot, has been cancelled and will be rescheduled at a later      date 

Closures
City departments will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday and all department meetings are canceled for the following:

City Hall

*City Manager's Office

*City Clerk

*Finance - including Business License, Utility Account Billing, Cashier and Customer Service

*Information Technology (essential personnel on standby)

*Law

*Planning Department

*Public Works (essential personnel on standby)

*Public Communications (essential personnel on standby)

Gentry Building

*Office of Cultural Affairs

*Parks and Recreation Administration

Other Parks and Recreation Closures

*ARC, 1701 W. Ash

*Armory Sports Center and C.A.R.E. office, 701 E. Ash

*Stephens Lake Activity Center, 2311 E. Walnut

*Rock Quarry Park House, 2002 Grindstone Pkwy 

*Riechmann Pavilion, 2300 E. Walnut

*Human Resources

*Employee Health

*Municipal Court

Howard Municipal Building

Office of Neighborhood Services

Public Health and Human Services

*Administration

*Animal Control

*Community Services

*Environmental Health

*Nursing

*Social Services

*Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

Walton Building

*Convention and Visitors Bureau

Water and Light

*Administration

*Engineering

Warming Centers
The following warming centers are temporarily closed:

*ARC (Activity      and Recreation Center,) 1707 West Ash Street, 573.874.7700

*Armory Sports      and Community Center, 701 East Ash Street, 573.874.7466

*Boone County      Government Center, 801 East Walnut, 573.886.4305

*Columbia/Boone      County Dept of Public Health & Human Services     

*1005 West      Worley, 573.874.7488

The following warming centers MAY be open. Please call for availability.

*Columbia Public      Library, 100 West Broadway,      573-443-3161

*Salvation Army,      1108 West Ash Street, 573-442-3229

*Salvation Army      Harbor House, 602 North Ann, 573-442-1984

*St. Francis      House, 901 Rangeline, 573-875-4913

Official Shelters
Official Shelters provide sleeping accommodations. These locations may or may not include meals. Please call for availability.

New Life      Evangelistic Center- men
901 Wilkes Blvd, 573-875-0603

Rainbow House-      children only
1611 Towne Dr, 573-474-3558

Salvation Army      Harbor House
602 North Ann, 573-442-1984

St. Francis      House- men
901 Rangeline, 573.875.4913

True North-      victims of domestic violence    
573-875-1369

Welcome Home-      veterans 
1206 Rangeline, 573-443-8001

For continuous updates, please visit the City of Columbia website at www.gocolumbiamo.com

 



 -30- 

______________________________________________________

If you would like to stop receiving messages, modify list options, or subscribe to other lists visit the Web Mail section of our Web site and follow the instructions provided. 

http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Web_Mail/
______________________________________________________

Archived press releases can be viewed online at:
http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Public_Comm/Public_Information/Press_Releases/
______________________________________________________

If you would like to stop receiving messages, modify list options, or subscribe to other lists visit the Web Mail section of our Web site and follow the instructions provided. 

http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Web_Mail/