N.C. Responders Cope With Storm`s Icy Challenges

Jan. 31--When you've called, the area's first responders have answered despite the cold and hazardous road conditions that have blanketed Onslow and Carteret counties over the past few days.

Onslow County Emergency Services Director Norman Bryson said the weather has not and will not keep them from responding to emergency calls, but it has taken a little longer for responding agencies to reach their destination due to the hazardous driving conditions.

"The snow and ice has increased response time and we want people to understand that if they call it make take us more time but we will be there," Bryson said.

Bryson said Onslow County Emergency Medical Services responded with other agencies to 17 automobile collisions the first night of the storm and 10 on Wednesday and the response times were up significantly.

EMS response time typically averages 9 to 14 minutes and Bryson estimated that time has about doubled during the storm days.

"The roads are an issue and drivers have to take caution and use due diligence," he said.

With the dangerous conditions of the ice-covered roadways, response to auto collisions have been frequent but they haven't been the only calls.

There have also been slips and falls as area residents have ventured outside their homes and calls from residents using alternative heating sources to stay warm during the extremely cold days for Eastern North Carolina.

Swansboro Public Safety Chief Bob Ritchie said their agency, which includes the town's fire and police departments, has taken a winter storm readiness position, with extra patrol and fire crews in place to assist on calls.

On the fire side, he said, they've been concerned about public health and safety issues such as hypothermia and frostbite from overexposure in the cold, carbon monoxide and other issues related to heating.

"People are using generators and space heaters and turning up the heat in the cold, and those are all potential fire hazards," he said.

Ritchie said they haven't had any fires, but they have had calls from residents concerned about the smell of smoke or possible fires.

Police officers have been out watching businesses and buildings for security and watching neighborhoods to see how they can assist. Fire and police officers have joined in patrolling the town to help residents as needed.

Ritchie said there have been a lot of stops to help motorists who have pulled or slid off the side of the road due to ice.

Ritchie said they have used the Town of Swansboro's Facebook page to keep residents informed of road conditions and continue to urge residents to stay off the roads until conditions improve.

He said keeping the public informed has also helped to keep call volumes down.

Jacksonville Police Department said many of the department's calls are from motorists sliding off of icy roads.

"Of course there have been some wrecks, but many more calls are for assistance due to cars sliding off the road or becoming stuck on small embankments of snow," said JPD spokeswoman Beth Purcell. "North Carolina Department of Transportation has been out clearing snow from the roadways; however, there is still a coating of slippery ice below that. We have had several crashes in which motorists were unable to stop at a sign or traffic signal and slid into another vehicle. We are asking people to stay off the roads unless it is absolutely necessary."

Overall, agencies in Onslow and Carteret counties were fortunate to see only a handful of serious calls.

While no serious injuries were reported, wrecks on bridges in Swansboro and Morehead City each took several hours to clear.

Officials in Newport are investigating the cause of a house fire that occurred Wednesday night.

Emerald Isle Police Department primarily dealt with typical reports during severe weather, including falls, checking homes for damage, and careless and reckless driving, including a driver doing "doughnuts" in a parking lot.

But officers were also out in the inclement weather responding to a call from an impaired driver who wrecked his car near N.C. 58 and Mallard Drive.

The dangerous conditions don't just affect area residents. Law enforcement and first responders also face challenges driving in ice and snow.

Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown said the public looks to them for help and they will always be ready to respond in an emergency.

"Regardless of the weather, for people's security and safety we are going to be there," Brown said.

However, he said, his deputies aren't taking unnecessary risk on hazardous road for non-emergency calls.

"For calls that were not life-threatening, we did not respond (in person)," he said. "We took a report and will respond as soon as we can."

Police and fire departments are often where the public turns for information in a storm and agencies have fielded a lot of non-emergency type calls for information as well.

"The types of calls we are getting on the non-emergency line are mostly about the county curfew and road condition questions." said Charlotte Rodden , City of Jacksonville 911 communications supervisor.

Ritchie said they have gotten a lot of calls for information on road conditions. He and other emergency response agencies stress that 911 should only be used for emergencies.

General questions can be made to business lines or residents can call 511 for road information from DOT or use their online Traveler Information Management System at tims.ncdot.gov/tims /.

Bryson said that during events such as the winter storm, they keep personnel at the Emergency Operations Center to help answer questions from the public at 910-347-4270.

He said they anticipated closing the EOC at 5 p.m. Thursday.

Contact Daily News reporter Jannette Pippin at 910-382-2557 or jannette.pippin@jdnews.com. Visit JDNews.com to comment.

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