Blog: City Blog

Bracing for Winter's Wrath: City Plans for Snowy Weather, Stocks Up, Is Ready!

Knoxville had its first taste of cold weather last week. And later this week, temperatures will dip back into the upper-20s.

But for first responders and City operations managers, thinking about and planning for winter's wrath began months ago - when Knoxvillians were all wearing shorts and complaining about how hot and dry the summer was.

The City's game plan for battling winter weather has been reviewed and updated.

The storage sheds are full with 2,000 tons of salt.

Temporary overnight warming centers have opened and will continue to be available.

Here's a look at some of the inclement-weather preparations that have been done by City departments and partners.

Here is one of the City's 24 snow trucks in action in January 2024

Here is one of the City's 24 snow trucks in action in January 2024

Plenty of salt, lots of preparation

The Public Service Department is stocked up and ready to go!

On hand:

• 2,000 tons of road salt

• 20,000 gallons of brine for pre-treating roads

• 6,500 gallons of calcium chloride, which can be added to salt to make its effective at colder temperatures

• 24 trucks with plows and spreaders

• 75 employees available

Last month, Public Service and Fleet Services managers, foremen, and emergency staff completed their annual snow training.

Fleet Services maintains a total of more than 1,500 pieces of equipment. Every truck, plow and Quick Response Vehicle that could be used in a snow emergency has been examined and serviced.

As they do annually, Public Service managers also updated the City's snow plan - revisiting hospital routes, and incorporating new Knoxville Area Transit bus routes. They also worked through ways to better treat problem spots, like streets on shaded hills, and bridges, which tend to repeatedly re-ice after being cleared.

The snow and ice removal plan can be found HERE.

For additional information, visit www.KnoxvilleTN.gov/Winter.

Protecting the vulnerable

Knoxville has stepped up its collaborative efforts to be proactive in serving people who are threatened by dangerous cold weather.

Last winter, several area churches opened warming centers. This year, four local churches are being supported by the Knoxville-Knox County Office of Housing Stability in offering temporary, public overnight warming centers through Feb. 28, 2025 to anyone who needs a warm indoor space when temperatures drop below 25 degrees.

The following locations are hosting warming centers:

North: Fountain City United Methodist Church, 212 Hotel Road

South: Vestal United Methodist Church, 115 Ogle Ave.

East: Magnolia Avenue United Methodist Church, 2700 E. Magnolia Ave.

West: Cokesbury Church, 9919 Kingston Pike

Find more details HERE and HERE.

Coordinated emergency response

The Knoxville-Knox County Emergency Management Agency (KEMA) has been meeting with all local responder agencies and has updated its winter weather emergency plan. They have also worked with the Knoxville-Knox County Office of Housing Stability and supporting partners in preparing the warming centers.

KEMA's success required careful coordination of multiple agencies, including City emergency services.

The Knoxville Police Department is conducting an internal annual review of its Snow Plan. That includes a review of the KPD fleet to identify and utilize every all-wheel and four-wheel vehicle, as well as a new protocol for severe weather assignments and how to make accommodations in the event shuttles are needed.

KPD is also proactively determining critical professional support staff - that is, who must report to work in the event of severe weather. In addition, the department is also proactively reaching out to other emergency response agencies and service providers to identify potential needs from KPD in the event of severe winter weather.

KPD will also prepare snow equipment and designate staffing for the Tactical Operation Center to expedite emergency operations.

The Knoxville Fire Department has also reviewed and updated its Severe Weather Plan (SWP).

This plan ensures that all KFD response vehicles are ready, that all rehab procedures are in place for extended scene operations, that more fire safety messaging is communicated through media and social media, and that an extended Emergency Operations Center can be supported as needed.

KFD also is ready to support other agencies as needed.

The Fire Department has increased the number of firefighters trained to function as a part of the nimble QRV teams, and more equipment and tools have been stocked on the 4-wheel-drive vehicles, such as patient movers, shovels and salt.

One of KFD's QRVs

KFD also has streamlined its QRV triage and dispatch procedures, and it has increased the number of firefighters available to operate in the EOC.

KAT, meanwhile, has modified its snow-clearing plans at Knoxville Station and other transit facilities. And KAT also has purchased additional salt in preparation of winter weather.

Posted by evreeland On 10 December, 2024 at 1:41 PM