FREDERICK, MD – TransIT Services reports the following:
A.M. & P.M. MARC Shuttles: Canceled
A.M. Brunswick, Emmitsburg/Thurmont and Rt. 85 shuttles: Canceled
A.M. Connector & Peaks services: Canceled.
All TransIT-Plus Paratransit trips: Canceled
At 10 a.m., TransIT Services will reevaluate conditions to make a decision on the P.M. services.
The Frederick County Emergency Management Division reports that the National Weather Service (NWS) forecasted a significant snowstorm that started last night and will continue through today. Snow accumulations of up to 15 inches are being reported by locations in Frederick County. The current forecast for today is for the snow to be heavy until mid-morning, then tapering off to light snow through the afternoon. Heavy snow will return early in the evening as the storm passes Maryland.
Frederick County is currently under a NWS WINTER STORM WARNING until 5:00 a.m. on Friday, February 14.
Frederick County emergency officials urge residents to stay off the roads through the day on Thursday, not only for their own safety, but to allow first responders to give priority attention to those most in need.
Frederick County Highway Operations reports that crews were out at 9:00 p.m. last night to scout the roads and assist any citizens who needed help reaching their homes or other destinations. The crews spread very little materials on the roads in order to save supplies that are running low. Crews were pulled off the roads at midnight and returned to work at 3:30 a.m. this morning. Their goal today is to continue pushing snow off county roadways throughout the storm. The county has 90 snow plow runs covering approximately 2,600 lane miles.
Highway officials also ask citizens to not drive today, as they will most likely get stuck in the snow, and drifting this morning is making the roads worse. If citizens get stuck on the roads, they will also hinder crews from doing their jobs to clear the roadways.
The following information is provided by FirstEnergy, a Potomac Edison company:
“Customers who are without power are encouraged to call 1-888-LIGHTS (1-888-544-4877) to report their outage or click the ‘Report Outage’ link on www.firstenergycorp.com. In the event of severe weather, customers should immediately report downed wires to their utility or their local police or fire department. Customers should never go near a downed power line, even if they think it is no longer carrying electricity.
“FirstEnergy customers also can utilize a new free smartphone app to report outages and access important information and services related to their electric accounts. The app is available for Apple® iPhone® and Android™ smartphones. Customers can use the keyword ‘FirstEnergy’ to locate the apps in the online store.
“In addition, customers can use FirstEnergy’s text messaging service to report outages and receive updates on reported outages. Text REG to 544487 (LIGHTS) to get started. For updated information on the company’s current outages, FirstEnergy’s storm restoration process and tips for staying safe, visit the 24/7 Power Center at www.firstenergycorp.com/outages.”
Frederick County Government offices and facilities, Frederick County Public Libraries and both Circuit and District Courts are closed today due to the severe winter storm.
The Department of Solid Waste Management announced the postponement of curbside recycling service for Thursday, February 13. There will be no recycling collection on Thursday; no carts should be placed curbside before the storm has cleared on Thursday night. Recycling service normally scheduled for Thursday will take place on Friday, February 14, instead. This means that Friday’s normal recycling service will shift to Saturday, February 15. Affected regions include the north-western section of The City of Frederick as well as Emmitsburg, Mountaindale, Sabillasville, Thurmont, Wolfsville and surrounding areas. For specific information on the status of a street’s curbside collection, call Allied Waste Services at 301-694-6498. General information and updates on the status of the curbside recycling collection can also be obtained by visiting the Office of Recycling’s website at: www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/recycle or by calling 301-600-2960 to hear regularly updated voice recordings. Additionally, a free mobile app is available to alert residents to changes in their recycling schedule; it is available at www.my-waste.mobi/FrederickMD.
For additional information and updates, stay tuned to local radio and televisions stations, FCG TV (cable channel 19 or www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/video), or visit the Frederick County Government website at www.FrederickCountyMD.gov. In addition, local news websites carry information on cancelations and delays: www.fredericknewspost.com, www.wfmd.com, www.wfre.com, www.your4state.com, and many others.
Residents and businesses are encouraged to sign up for emergency notifications from the Frederick County Division of Emergency Management at www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/ALERT
###