Kitsap County County crews prepared for winter weather

Date: January 9, 2020

Crews are ready for winter weather

(Port Orchard, WA) - With talk of winter weather in the air Kitsap County Public Works is ready for whatever the forecast brings. “We start preparing in November,” according to Jacques Dean, Road Superintendent. By November 1st Public Works has everything in place for winter storms. “We make sure our equipment is ready, and that we have sufficient quantities of sand, salt and salt brine on hand for winter storms."

Road crews use October and November to train for winter response. “We have courses set up to help train drivers on plowing techniques” said Dean. Crews also go over response plans and staffing changes necessary for winter weather. In addition to regular daytime crews there are standby crews that are activated in anticipation of winter weather. These crews work through the night preparing roads for morning travel. In the event of a major storm crews move to 12-hour shifts and work around-the-clock. During last year’s February storm Public Works crews worked 12 hour shifts for almost two weeks.

The County’s storm response plan is available at the County’s Inclement Weather page (www.kcowa.us/inclweather). “This is the best place for residents to find the latest information about County roads during a storm,” according to Doug Bear, Public Works spokesperson. The web site includes recent update, links to the County’s storm response plan and priority plowing map, and several other links that are helpful during inclement weather. “We also encourage residents to sign up for electronic notifications by email or text to keep informed while they are on the go,” Bear added.