Rockville Centre readies for the storm

Rockville Centre plows will be out in force when the snow starts to fall until hours afterward, making sure the 50 miles of village streets are clear.

John Maher/Herald

The first major storm of the winter is bearing down on Long Island, and is predicted to drop six to 12 inches on Rockville Centre.

The village is already preparing for the snow, which is expected to start in the early morning hours Saturday and continue through Sunday. The village’s Department of Public Works has about 800 tons of salt stockpiled, as well as 3,000 gallons of calcium chloride, which it adds to salt to keep roads clean when temperatures are very low.

“We prepare like we do for any other storm,” said Rockville Centre Mayor Francis X. Murray. “We just got out of a meeting that I called with all our department heads. We coordinate these storms the same way [as a hurricane], just with the salting and plowing. We’re ready for whatever comes our way.”

Murray added that the village’s fire department will be on standby with 100 men and women ready to respond to emergency calls. He also said that members of the electric department were staying in the village overnight so they could quickly respond to any reported outages.

To report a hazardous condition during a snow storm, residents should call the DPW at 678-9288 or 678-9267. For any other emergencies, call the police department at 766-1500 or by dialing 911.

Salting is effective for keeping roads clean in light snowfall. Once snow accumulations reaches three or four inches (which this storm most likely will), the village switches to plowing.

DPW employees plow the village’s streets through the duration of a storm. Main roads are cleared first to provide access to emergency vehicles. Residential streets are secondary. During the storm, plow lanes are narrow and designed to keep a portion of the road clear for vehicles. After the storm ends, plows will work to widen the roads and clear all intersections.

Residents are reminded that they are not allowed to park on the street during a snow storm. Residents must move their cars into driveways to keep roads clear for plowing.

Additionally, residents and business owners are responsible for clearing the sidewalks in front of their property of all snow within 24 hours of the end of the storm.

Also, never throw snow back into the street. This can make roads unsafe and create more work for the plows. Instead, shovel or blow snow onto the lawn or curb strip.

Residents who have a fire hydrant on their property also must clear away any snow from it. All snow and ice within three feet of the hydrant must be removed so the fire department can have access to it in case of an emergency.