As weather prognosticators continue to predict the strong possibility of significant snow accumulation for tomorrow and Saturday, Montgomery County Police want to remind the community of the following safety information.

Drivers are strongly advised to stay off of the roadways during periods of snow and/or ice. It is important to reduce the traffic on roadways to allow road crews to plow and treat the surfaces. It is also critical not to impede the ability of fire & rescue and police emergency response vehicles to get to the locations of emergency situations. Even those with four-wheel drive vehicles need to respect the road conditions and reduce their speed. Because of the advance notification of this potential weather emergency, everyone has plenty of time to make all arrangements necessary to reduce or eliminate the need to drive during worsened weather conditions.

It is standard procedure for police to suspend report writing for property damage collisions when the vehicles are still drivable, during the hours when precipitation and road conditions are at their worst. Maryland State Law requires only that the involved parties exchange information. Those exchanging information should drive their cars to as safe a location as possible, such as a parking lot. If that is not possible get vehicles as far off the road as possible and drivers should also stand as far from the roadway as possible. People have been struck and injured as they stood outside their vehicles at the side of a roadway. The information exchanged should include: names, addresses, phone numbers, the vehicles’ make, model, color, and tag numbers; driver’s license information, and vehicle insurance information.

Montgomery County Police also want to remind our community members with a valid e-mail address that the department offers on-line reporting for the crimes of thefts under $10,000, lost property, vandalism, and identity theft. These crimes, if there are no known suspects and are not emergencies, can be reported through “Citizens Online Reporting” which is available on the homepage of the Montgomery County Police website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/police. Reporting these crimes online will reduce the number of calls for service during a weather emergency when police receive an increased volume of emergency calls. And the caller will not have to wait for police to respond.

There is always particular concern for the safety of children, senior citizens, and homeless individuals during periods of extreme cold. Children engaged in outside activities should be carefully monitored by a responsible adult. Police advise friends and family members to check on senior citizens who live alone. Montgomery County provides a variety of sheltering locations for the homeless. Additional snow information is available on the Montgomery County website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov under “Winter Snow Information and Updates”.

Due to the National Weather Service issuing that a winter storm warning will be going into effect at 10:00 a.m. Friday through 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, for heavy snow with near blizzard conditions, strong wind, and below freezing temperatures, Captain Michael Wahl, Director of the Montgomery County Police Animal Services Division, is announcing the enforcement of Executive Regulation 5-01, Anti-Cruelty Conditions for Dogs.

Section II-C of the regulation states that “a person must not tether a dog under circumstances that endanger its health, safety, or well-being including: unattended tethering of a dog during a weather emergency.”

Montgomery County Police Animal Services officers want to remind citizens to be particularly careful with all pets during this time period of cold and expected heavy snow. All dogs spending a period of time outdoors must have access to water and shelter, to properly protect themselves from the elements. The best advice during periods of extreme weather conditions is to bring pets indoors.

Tips from veterinarians for cold weather care of a dog include:

• Provide a heated bed and shelter for dogs which cannot come indoors.
• Avoid letting your dog eat snow – keep fresh room temperature water available at all times.
• Keep food and water in a place where it will not freeze – preferably inside.
• A dog’s ears and tail are susceptible to frostbite; check them after a dog has been outside for a long period of time.
• A dog licking the salt off the bottom of his paws can make him sick, so wipe his paws after he walks through a salted area.

###

» Return to Press Releases