DOWNBEACH – It’s still snowing but local shore towns got walloped with more than 12 inches of snow Sunday into Monday. The snow is expected to continue in bands throughout the day and into the dinner hour.
“We’re running crazy with downed wires,” Margate Fire Chief Dan Adams said. “Mostly cable coming down under the weight of the snow.”
When that happens, the department just cuts or coils up the wires until the cable company can respond. We bet it’s hard to be snowed in with no internet or TV.
Margate reported no fires but did have one water leak and was responding to a gas leak during our interview with the chief.
Margate Firehouse #1
One of the garage bay doors at Firehouse #1 had a cable snap, rendering it inoperable.
“We had to jockey around our vehicles to make sure we have access to them,” he said.
Adams said there was some minor flooding in the usual low-lying areas, and that the shore “got lucky” when the wind came from the west and pushed out the tide.
“The streets were relatively quiet,” he said Monday morning. That is, until one motorist in a Jeep tried to get around apparatus parked at Washington and Amherst avenues, and another motorist drove right through a red light.
“These people are crazy,” was his immediate response.
Adams commended the members of the Department of Public Works who did a stellar job working since Sunday afternoon moving snow, he said.
“They did a remarkable job making all our roads passable,” he said. “We got them food and provisions so they would be able to get fed during their breaks. They were on the streets, day and night.”
Margate Ventnor AvenueHe said the new Public Works building that the city plans to build “can’t come soon enough for them. You wouldn’t believe the conditions they have to endure in that building.”
In Ventnor, which has a higher density of people and vehicles and narrower streets, Mayor Tim Krieble said the roads remain difficult to navigate. He recommended everyone just stay warm inside and off the roads until the DPW crews can do more plowing.
“They have been out since 8 p.m. last night and continue working around the clock, but steady snowfall and sheer volume of accumulation are still covering roadways."
The entire Fire Department has been called in to assist with digging out hydrants. They will continue to respond to calls as needed until plowing stabilizes streets and access improves, he said.
VentnorKriebel also reported a damaged tension wire near the former driving range at the rear of the Ventnor Educational Community Complex.
“At this time, there are no other major emergency responses.”
He said flooding remains a concern, especially with the volume of snow on the ground.
“Please stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary so our plows can continue clearing effectively and emergency responders can operate as efficiently as possible” he said.
An Egg Harbor Township dispatch operator, which covers Egg Harbor Township, Linwood, Northfield and Longport, said the roads everywhere are dangerous and people should not drive.
“Longport won’t be out in full force cleaning roads until the snow stops, probably after noon,” Operator 1010 said. “The roads are bad everywhere. People are getting stuck, wires and trees are down and it’s too dangerous to be driving.”
However, he said all municipalities have police, fire and DPW crews ready to respond to any emergency thrown their way.
If there's any consolation, at least people don't have to put out their trash today.
The Atlantic County Utilities Authority, which rarely takes time off, announced Sunday that it would suspend trash collection on Monday. Also, the Environmental Park in Egg Harbor Township will remain closed with operations expected to resume on Tuesday.
ACUA will provide service updates on its website, www.acua.com.
Elsewhere in the county, there were two classrooms set ablaze in Galloway Township at the Arthur Rann School due to faulty in-room HVAC units.
A downed wire melted a roadway in Northfield.
Also, a guard fence on the Delilah Road overpasss fell over into the traffic lanes of the Atlantic City Expressway below.
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