RICHMOND, Va. -- With a winter storm predicted to dump up to two feet of snow on parts of Virginia, Governor Terry McAuliffe has declared a state of emergency. The declaration allows state agencies to help local governments respond to the winter storm. The declaration does not apply to individuals or private businesses, only local government agencies.
"All Virginians should take the threat of this storm seriously and take necessary precautions now to ensure they are prepared for travel disruptions and possible power outages during a cold weather period," Governor McAuliffe said.
Engineers remove snow, clear roads in Lee County
Virginia National Guard Soldiers from the Cedar Bluff-based 1033rd Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion employ engineering equipment to remove snow in Lee County, Va. Feb. 28, 2015. More than 125 Soldiers have supported response and recover efforts following significant amounts of snowfall in Southwest and Eastern Virginia. (Photo by Capt. Andrew J. Czaplicki, Virginia Guard Public Affairs)
The Governor's Office provided the following list of actions the state has taken to prepare for the winter storm:
- VDOT crews are on 24-hour operations and are pretreating roads where temperatures permit.
- Virginia State Police have all uniformed personnel and necessary specialty units ready for response to the next round of increased volumes in traffic crashes, disabled vehicles, and other storm-related emergencies.
- The Virginia National Guard has been authorized to bring up to 500 personnel on state active duty for possible assistance with the state's severe winter weather response operations. The Guard plans to stage personnel at readiness centers in key locations across the commonwealth in order to be ready to rapidly respond if needed.
