North Wales, Lansdale issue alerts

NORTH WALES » Emergencies and alerts were declared Tuesday afternoon by North Wales and Lansdale ahead of a winter storm that’s expected to slam the area over the next two days.

North Wales’ snow emergency will last from 10 a.m. on Wednesday through noon on Friday, according to the emergency issued by Mayor Gregory D’Angelo.

Lansdale’s snow alert will take effect at noon on Wednesday and will remain “in effect until further notice,” according to a statement on the borough’s Facebook page. The conclusion of the snow alert is expected to be posted on the borough’s website and social media accounts.

“Snow accumulation is expected to be in excess of 12 inches, with the possibility of upwards to 18-24 inches,” said North Wales Mayor Gregory D’Angelo in a statement.

D’Angelo encouraged area residents to prepare by taking precautions including charging phones, ensuring batteries are in flashlights.

“All residents are urged to dress accordingly and limit their exposure to the elements. Driving will be treacherous and should be avoided, if possible. Please use caution when walking in the streets,” D’Angelo said in a statement. “When shoveling, please take periodic breaks. Know your limitations.”

The notices from both Montgomery County boroughs include parking restrictions to account for plowing as snow begins to accumulate.

“We try to get the word

out to residents as quickly as possible because in boroughs unlike townships we don’t have a lot of off-street parking so there’s several streets that need to be only parked on one side versus the other,” said North Wales Borough Manager Christine Hart. “So that’s very important that our residents are aware, the sooner the better.”

In North Wales, Main and Walnut streets are two “snow emergency routes” where parking restrictions will be “strictly enforced,” according to D’Angelo.

In Lansdale, officials wanted to give residents ample time to prepare and move their vehicles if need be.

“For citizens, a snow alert means that all vehicles parked on those streets where signage indicates no parking during a snow alert are required, by law, to be moved elsewhere in order to allow snow plowing of the road surface,” read a post on the borough’s Facebook page. “Snow alert signage dictates which side of the street residents may not park on when an alert is declared. Residents may park in their driveways (if available), alternate side of their

street or another street not marked ‘ No Parking.’”

Those in violation could receive a ticket or have their vehicle towed by the Lansdale Borough Police Department.

Anyone who notices a vehicle parked along the snow alert route should call the police station at 215-3681800.

The North Wales mayor also cautioned area residents against riding bicycles during the declared snow emergency.

“This sounds silly, but no bicycle riding during an emergency, and I decided to include that in my emergency back in 2014 when I saw children riding on the streets on their bicycles, and frankly it’s dangerous for them, and it’s dangerous for a driver that’s trying to avoid them,” he said.

Additionally, borough officials urged residents to “stay away from downed wires” and ensure that “nearby fire hydrants are cleared of snow.” Those who do see downed wires in Lansdale should call Lansdale Electric at 215-361-8371.

“Under no circumstance should residents attempt to lift, move or adjust electric wires,” read the snow alert post on Lansdale Borough’s Facebook page.

“If people don’t need to go out and about, please

stay home, and stay safe, and that really helps out our department with us being able to get around town safely, and not getting caught up in traffic jams or anything like that,” said Lansdale’s Public Works Superintendent Rick DeLong.

Lansdale officials also cautioned area residents and businesses owners against depositing “snow removed from sidewalks or private property onto any borough street” as it is prohibited, and “violators are subject to fines.”

D’Angelo praised the borough’s preparedness, but added the emergency status could allow for the procurement of relief funding.

“By declaring an emergency, if anything really goes bad, and there are any state funds that are available for relief, you can only receive them if you’ve declared a state of emergency,” he said.

As for any potential outages that could occur as a result of the storm, D’Angelo noted that Windsor Way is a thoroughfare often prone to outages. He stressed that area residents who lose power to call PECO at (800) 841-4141.

D’Angelo also encouraged area residents to check on their neighbors before and during the storm.

“Working together to

overcome the obstacles and adversity created by weather situations such as these creates a greater sense of community and kindness,” he said in a statement. “We’ll get through this together, just as we always do.”

For more information, visit North Wales’ website at northwalesborough.org and Lansdale’s website at www.lansdale.org.