CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Like the rest of West Virginia, emergency officials in Kanawha County are bracing for the worst as Winter Storm Jonas heads our way.
“It’s hard to plan when you don’t know what the event is going to be,” said County Deputy Emergency Manager C.W. Sigman. “The old German field marshal’s saying was, ‘No battle plan will survive first contact with the enemy.’ We know we have to be fluid because things will change.”
Sigman said they have made as much preparation as they can. All generators which provide backup power at critical infrastructure like radio towers have been fueled and checked. They are also in close consultation with the National Weather Service and the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
Two key concerns for the county will be the power and the roads. Sigman said they are staying in touch with Appalachian Power, but worry because it’s still hard to say whether the area will get light snow or heavy wet snow mixed with ice. The latter situation is always much more destructive. As for the roads, Sigman said there’s an easy solution.
“If people do not need to be out, don’t go out. That would help a lot,” he said. “Give the street crews and highway department time to get caught up. It’s hard to work around everybody.”
Sigman said volunteer fire departments in the county are also on alert. Most of the busy stations in the county will actually have people in them for the event.
“We’ll have a contingency plan with folks out,” Sigman said. “Luckily we have a great response community. Usually anything we ask them to do, they’ll take care of it.”