Hempstead Town Prepares For Storm And Snow

The Town of Hempstead is preparing for the impending nor'easter by getting plows and salt trucks ready and having crews on standby to deal with whatever Mother Nature throws at Long Island.

“The town is taking this threat seriously. We are hoping for the best, but prepared for the worst, especially in light of the still lingering effects of last week’s storm” said Town of Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen. “The Town of Hempstead has over 30,000 tons of salt on hand and is ready to commence operations before snow begins to fall.”

The says it is taking every precaution in advance of the powerful weather system that is currently expected to deliver 6 to 12 inches of snow.

• Get the latest on the forecast here.

The town's Highway Department, primarily responsible for the salting and removal of snow from the 1,200 miles of town roadways and municipal parking fields in unincorporated areas, is fueling up approximately 250 trucks, attaching plows and cleaning out catch basins in sewers to help with drainage.

“We are urging residents to please call the town's helpline at 516-489-6000 to report any issues, especially if you notice loose branches or weakened trees,” said Gillen, who noted that the nor’easter last week significantly damaged many trees and branches in the town. “The wet, heavy snow that is being predicted is a recipe for downed wires and trees.”

Residents should call PSEG at 1-800-490-8875 to report power outages. The town works with the utility companies to restore power as quickly as possible during emergencies.

Residents can also actively check for updates through the Town of Hempstead website at www.toh.li, as well as through Twitter and Facebook.

Once the snow starts, residents are urged to park cars in their driveways and off the streets in order to accommodate snow plows, as well as to refrain from shoveling snow back into the streets.

Photo: Patch