DUNMORE, Pa. — In Dunmore, Reliable Snow Plowing and Landscaping has been prepping for the potential snowy roads ahead.
"We're beyond booked. And not only us, but other companies that I talk to, they're booked as well," said Edward Roche, who co-owns and plows for Reliable Snow Plowing and Landscaping.
According to the Stormtracker 16 team, the area of Dunmore could expect a few inches before conditions change again.
Roche, who's been in the family business for about a decade, says he's not too worried about this upcoming storm.
"This winter's actually very mild compared to last winter," said Roche.
Though one preparation hiccup, Roche says, has been the below-freezing temperatures pre-storm.
"We have batteries that are going dead in our trucks because it's so cold," he said. "Machines won't start because it's so cold. So we're having our issues today, but we're going to be ready for tomorrow."
Local plowers aren't the only ones who say they're locked and loaded against the anticipated snow and ice.
"There is a little bit of a difference with this storm because it's so cold right now," said Jessica Ruddy with PennDOT District 4.
Jessica Ruddy with PennDOT says hundreds of workers and snowplows are ready to go for all six counties within her district.
"We do ask the public and remind them not to pass the plows when you're out there," she said. "It is dangerous for our drivers, and it's also dangerous for you. Obviously, we tell people, stay home if you can stay home."
But if you do have to hit the road, Ruddy says to pack a safety kit with any essentials you and your family may need -- just in case you do get stranded somewhere.
"So that you have medications, phone chargers, water, blanket," Ruddy said.
One for in the car and, according to Jane George with PPL Electric, another safety kit for in your home.
"You want to make sure that you have water, you have food for three days," George said.
"You also want to make sure that you have food for your animals so that they also are able to be prepared in the case of an outage," she said.
George adds that PPL crews are already prepping -- in their case, for potential outages.
"Knowing that this storm was coming, we prepared and made sure that our crews and our people were ready to respond in the case that there was an outage," said George.
For more on travel tips, tier restrictions, and road closures, check out 511PA by clicking here.
PPL Electric also offers the following safety tips regarding your home and power outages:
- Make sure you keep your phones and other devices charged.
- Just in case you lose power, it’s good to have an emergency kit on hand with food, water, medication, and any pet supplies you may need.
- Remember that candles can start fires. If you lose power, use flashlights instead.
- If you encounter a downed wire at any time, assume it’s energized and stay away.
- If you lose power and are using a portable generator, never operate the generator in an enclosed area, like a garage, where deadly carbon monoxide fumes could accumulate.
- For your safety and ours, please keep a safe distance from our crews.
Check out severe weather tips on WNEP’s YouTube channel.