City to Start Brining Tonight for Anticipated Snow Event

PHILADELPHIA –  City of Philadelphia departments and agencies have begun preparations for this weekend’s anticipated snow event.

The Streets Department on Wednesday evening will dispatch trucks to brine main arteries, bridge decks and streets in higher elevations.  Brining is most effective when done 48-hours in advance of expected snow.

Salting of streets does not begin until the snow arrives.  The size of the Department’s salting/plowing operation will depend on the forecast at the time, but the department is preparing for a full deployment.

Streets Department crews are currently checking all equipment to be ready for the deployment.

The Office of Emergency Management is closely monitoring the track of the storm. OEM will coordinate calls with city leadership and city agencies, such as Police, Fire, Streets, SEPTA, PennDOT, the School District of Philadelphia, and the National Weather Service. If necessary, OEM will activate the City’s Emergency Operations Center to monitor the impact of the storm throughout the city and to coordinate response operations among agencies.

As the City is getting ready, we encourage the public to do same:

• Make sure your shovels and de-icing supplies are ready.
• Sign up for emergency alerts from the Office of Emergency Management through ReadyPhiladelphia.
• Follow @PhilaOEM for the latest updates.

Visit www.phila.gov/ready for updates and to check out our Winter Weather Guide with more tips to prepare for snow storms

An easy, essential way to be prepared is to stay informed. Get emergency alerts from OEM’s ReadyPhiladelphia program sent to your phone or email to keep you informed prior to and during an emergency. Also, look for PhilaOEM on Twitter and Facebook.