Pa. officials expect storm will create dangerous conditions, result in \u2018tragedy\u2019<\/p>\n
Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Director Randy Padfield said during a briefing Friday that the storm is likely to increase the risk of incidents such as multivehicle accidents and water main breaks. He said heating systems may fail at congregate care facilities or multifamily buildings. Padfield expects that the use of unconventional heating sources will increase the risk of house fires, and incorrect generator use could result in cases of carbon monoxide poisoning.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sad fact is that despite our best attempts, this storm will mostly result in tragedy somewhere in the commonwealth,\u201d Padfield said.<\/p>\n
State officials recommended checking on neighbors and clearing snow from around the nearest fire hydrant, so that fire crews can access it if needed.<\/p>\n
Safety on the roads<\/p>\n
The best way to stay safe is to stay at home, but if you have to venture out, do so with caution, warned Jana Tidwell, manager of public and government affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic.<\/p>\n
\u201cRemove all snow and ice from your car before returning to the road. Not only is that for safety reasons, but it is also the law. Anything that can become dislodged from your car is then potentially a deadly projectile for others on the roadways,\u201d she said. \u201cGive yourself plenty of extra time because you want to significantly reduce your speed so that you can maintain as much control as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tidwell added that having a four-wheel-drive vehicle doesn\u2019t guarantee you\u2019ll be able to stop when needed, especially with freezing rain and ice.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat many people don\u2019t realize is there is no vehicle invincible on a sheet of ice,\u201d she said. \u201cNothing is going to stop if you start to skid on ice, so don\u2019t let that bring you a false sense of security.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tidwell said that staying off the road to give plow drivers a chance to do their job will help clear the roads sooner.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for Philadelphia International Airport said they are urging travelers to consult with their individual airlines for cancellations and changes to flights.<\/p>\n
The Philadelphia Parking Authority will have discount parking at their lots as part of the event to help clear the streets.<\/p>\n
To receive the discounted $5 rate, customers must bring their ticket and pay at the PPA Management Office in each garage.<\/p>\n
Also during the snow emergency, the PPA will enforce all snow emergency routes and safety violations. Starting at 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, meter\/kiosk and time limit violations on residential blocks will not be enforced until the snow emergency is lifted.<\/p>\n
Unprecedented peak electricity demand<\/p>\n
The operator of the region\u2019s power grid, PJM Interconnection, said it expects to see record-breaking electricity usage for the next week<\/a> due to extremely cold temperatures across its entire footprint. PJM manages the electric grid for 13 states and the District of Columbia, an area that serves about 67 million people.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a formidable arctic cold front coming our way, and it will impact our neighboring systems as much as it affects PJM,\u201d Mike Bryson, PJM\u2019s senior vice president for operations, said in a statement. \u201cWe will be relying on our generation fleet to perform as well as they did during last year\u2019s record winter peak.\u201d<\/p>\n PJM said it has enough power to last throughout the cold snap this week.<\/p>\n But it expects peak demand to top an unprecedented 130,000 megawatts for each day next week. On Tuesday, when temperatures in some parts of the country are expected to dip into the single digits, PJM said it could break a new daily record on peak load with an expected 147,300 MW of power drawn from the grid. That\u2019s slightly higher than its forecasted peak demand for this winter of 145,700 MW<\/a>.<\/p>\n PJM has told power generators to halt any maintenance work that would take electricity offline, and to prepare its infrastructure for freezing temperatures.<\/p>\n Snow, ice and downed trees can damage power lines and cause local outages. But the current forecast does not include high winds.<\/p>\n \u201cThe good news with this storm, at least right now, is the winds won\u2019t be as severe as we\u2019ve seen with other storms,\u201d said Pennsylvania\u2019s director of\u00a0 Emergency Management Randy Padfield. \u201cSo we think that there will be less potential for significant power outages.\u201d<\/p>\n The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is advising residents to make sure cell phones and medical devices are fully charged and to have flashlights ready.<\/p>\n The PUC urges people to stay away from electrical infrastructure and to always assume downed power lines are charged.<\/p>\n