When emergency situations develop, or might develop, this blog shifts from light-hearted observations to strictly business. Check here throughout the weekend for emergency information as the winter storm expected to wallop our region rolls in. Pertinent info will be added to what you see here as it comes in.

Snow is piling up in Wise County. Forecasters have predicted that the latest winter storm could dump 8-14" of snow on us. So far, neither local power provider is reporting any major outages. The Virginia Department of Transportation is still urging citizens to stay off of the roads. No local officials have released any new emergency information.

Due to a water line break unrelated to the storm, citizens in Coeburn are advised to boil drinking water until further notice.

LOCAL INFO

Here’s some local info about what to do in case conditions become severe, from a story written for the Friday edition of the newspaper by News Editor Jeff Lester:

Wise County is preparing for trouble, emergency coordinator Jane Bennett said.Bennett urges citizens to make an emergency plan and a kit, stocking up non-perishable food for themselves and their animals for three or four days, along with essentials such as prescription medicines.

Citizens can call county officials at 328-3756 or 328-8439 to get information about emergency shelters and services. If it’s a true emergency, they should call 911. For those who can access the Internet, she said, watch the Coalfield’s web site or www.wisecounty.org for information.

If power and phone service go off, Bennett said, citizens can go to the following sites for information: Fire department buildings in Appalachia, Big Stone Gap, Powell Valley and Wise, and the Pound rescue squad building. She emphasized those sites are not shelters, but places to get information on emergency services.

The county has leftover cots, water and materials for hot meals in storage if needed, Bennett said.She urged citizens to stay off the roads if possible so state highway crews can work on them.

In Norton, emergency coordinator Todd Lagow echoed Bennett’s advice to stock up on food, along with alternate heat and light sources.

If an emergency shelter is needed, it will be at the Hotel Norton building at 798 Park Ave.

Citizens can get emergency information for Norton on the city’s television channel 51 on Comcast, through WNVA 106.3 radio, in newspapers and online at www.nortonva.org or right here, at Coalfield.com.

STATEWIDE RESPONSE

Last night, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell preemptively declared a state of emergency, according to a Thursday evening press release from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. That authorizes state agencies to help local governments respond as the storm rolls in.

The southern half of Virginia, from Southwest Virginia to Hampton Roads, is expected to receive the brunt of the storm, and has the potential for significant accumulations of snow.Declaring the state of emergency, the press release noted, allowed the following preparations to be made:    * VDEM held weather conference calls with the National Weather Service, state agencies and local governments.    * The Virginia Department of State Police and the Department of Transportation began gearing up Thursday night to keep roadways clear and help motorists.    * The Virginia National Guard placed 200 soldiers on standby.    * The Virginia Emergency Operations Center planned to bring in in a small number of response team members beginning tonight. By Saturday morning, a larger group from several state agencies, major utilities and other affiliated organizations will be in place.

The release notes that citizens should monitor news outlets like this one for updates on this developing storm, and check road conditions before they leave home by calling 511 or logging in to 511Virginia.org. In areas where significant snowfall occurs, Virginians are encouraged to stay off the roads until the storm abates and roads are cleared.

If massive power outages occur, Virginia has set up another information source. 2-1-1 will connect citizens to local information on warming shelters, provide resources for anyone seeking assistance for an elderly or disabled person during the storm or for viewers concerned about an unsheltered individual or family at risk of hypothermia. We are recommending those in need of assistance dial 2-1-1 or visit 211virginia.org.

2-1-1 Virginia Call Centers have prepared for the predicted winter storm and trained professionals will suggest local resources using one of the Virginia’s largest databases of health and human service providers. All referrals are confidential.