DC Government to Deploy Snow Team, Continue Activation of Cold Emergency Plan
With the National Weather Service forecasting between 2 and 13 inches of snow for Monday, March 13 going into Tuesday, March 14, the District Snow Team will go into full deployment on Monday evening, with more than 200 plows scheduled to be on their posts by 7:00 p.m. Precipitation is expected to start as rain Monday evening around 5:00 p.m. with temperatures hovering around 40 degrees, then transition to snow within two hours. Throughout Monday night and into Tuesday morning, temperatures are expected to drop into the low 30s as the snow continues.
“The DC Government is utilizing every resource to prepare for forecasted snowfall in the coming days,” said Mayor Bowser. “We urge residents to continue monitoring weather updates and to take necessary precautions in the event we experience significant snow accumulation Monday night into Tuesday morning.”
On Sunday, March 12, the Department of Public Works (DPW) and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) began pretreating streets and highways with a mix of brine and beet juice that slows ice forming on roads, and the Department of General Services (DGS) pretreated sidewalks around DC Public Schools, Department of Parks and Recreation Centers, and Metropolitan Police Department and Fire and Emergency Medical Services properties. On Monday morning, DPW and DDOT will begin pretreating major roads and residential routes with rock salt and brine. As a precaution, residential and commercial property owners are advised to spread rock salt, de-icer, or non-clumping kitty litter on their sidewalks to prevent slips and falls.
Throughout the year, Serve DC, the Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism, has compiled a list of senior citizens and residents with access and functional needs who will need assistance with snow removal after a snow event. Residents interested in assisting with snow removal can join the DC Resident Snow Team at ServeDC.VolunteerHub.com. In the event of snow accumulation, volunteers will likely be deployed on Tuesday afternoon when the snow event ends and conditions are safe for snow removal.
*DPW has suspended street sweeping for Tuesday, and all scheduled bulk trash pickup appointments for Tuesday are cancelled and will be rescheduled.
In addition, the Department of Human Services (DHS), in collaboration with the District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA), will continue the activation of the city's Cold Emergency Plan. Under a “Cold Emergency Alert” additional services and supports are provided to protect residents from life-threatening illness and injury associated with severe cold weather.
The DC Government activates the Cold Emergency Plan when the temperature and wind chill drop to 15° F or when the temperature, with wind chill, is 20° F and there is an accompanying meteorological event such as snow. DHS, HSEMA, and other agencies have determined that the weather, as forecasted, presents a danger, especially to residents who are experiencing homelessness.
Key services provided during Cold Emergency Alerts include:
Access to Emergency Shelter—Low-barrier, Hypothermia, and Overflow Emergency Shelters are open during Hypothermia and Cold Alerts.
Access to Overnight Warming Sites—In order to provide access to a warm and safe facility, designated public buildings, such as recreation centers, may open during the day or overnight. In cases where residents choose not to use the traditional low-barrier or hypothermia emergency shelters, these warming sites offer a warm and safe place to spend the night. Individuals may access these sites on their own or by contacting the Shelter Hotline for transportation. Overnight Warming Sites operate from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Some sites may open later than 7:00 p.m. based on regularly scheduled business operations.
Transportation to Warmth and Safety—Free transportation to an emergency shelter or warming site is provided to anyone experiencing homelessness in Washington, DC during a Cold Emergency Alert. To request transportation to shelter for persons in DC who are experiencing homelessness, contact the toll-free Shelter Hotline: (202) 399-7093 or 311. Include the time, the address or location of the sighting, and a description of the person’s appearance.
Families seeking emergency shelter can also visit the Virginia Williams Family Resource Center at 920 Rhode Island Avenue, NE, from Monday to Thursday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Families can also call the DC Shelter Hotline at (202) 399-7093 or 311 at any time day or night.
The following are low barrier and alert night emergency shelters and warming site locations:
Hypothermia/Cold Emergency Alert Night Shelters
Hypothermia/Cold Emergency Alert Night Shelters for Women
-New Covenant Baptist Church: 1301 W Street, SE
-Community of Christ Church: 3526 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
-Sherwood Recreation Center: 640 10th Street, NE
-Nativity Shelter: 6010 Georgia Avenue, NW
Hypothermia/Cold Emergency Alert Night Shelters for Men
-Banneker Recreation Center: 2500 Georgia Avenue, NW
-Kennedy Recreation Center: 1401 7th Street, NW
-Sacred Heart Church: 16th Street and Park Road, NW
-Salvation Army: 3335 Sherman Avenue, NW
-Community for Creative Non-Violence: 425 2nd Street, NW
-Adams Place Shelter: 2210 Adams Place, NE
-801 East Shelter: 801 Making Life Better Lane, SE
-Raymond Recreation Center: 3725 10th Street, NW
Co-Ed Hypothermia/Cold Emergency Alert Night Shelters
-Emery Recreation Center: 5801 Georgia Avenue, NW
-King Greenleaf Recreation Center: 201 N Street, SW
Low-Barrier Emergency Shelters
Low-barrier Emergency Shelters for Women
- Harriet Tubman Shelter: DC General Building 9, 1900 Massachusetts Avenue, SE
- Nativity Shelter: 6010 Georgia Avenue, NW
- Patricia Handy Place for Women: 810 5 Street, NW
Low-barrier Emergency Shelters for Men
- 801 East Shelter: 801 Making Life Better Lane, SE
- Adams Place Shelter: 2210 Adams Place, NE
- New York Avenue Shelter: 1355-57 New York Avenue, NE
For more information about DC’s snow program and preparing for winter weather, or to see where District Snow Team plows are working, go to snow.dc.gov. Residents should follow the social media accounts listed below to stay informed about weather conditions and how District services are affected.
Regards,
Kevin
Kevin B. Twine
Staff Assistant
Office Of The Director
Department Of Public Works (DPW)
2000 14th St., NW, 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20009
Ph: 202-673-7084
DPW: 202-673-6833
Fax: 202-202-671-0642
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