Green Mountain Power and the Vermont Agency of Transportation are preparing for some bad weather that could down power lines and make the state’s roads especially dangerous for holiday travel.
“A weather forecast that includes a wide variety of conditions and precipitation from snow and freezing rain to just rain is an ideal mix for many types of road hazards,” said the Agency of Transportation in a release. “Freezing and thawing road surfaces can transition from wet to black ice in a matter of seconds and a drivers best defense is to stay alert, manage their speed and respond to advisory signs and reports.”
Green Mountain Power is concerned about high winds forecasted to hit the state on Christmas Day and the potential they have to knock down trees and cause outages.
“Green Mountain Power has already lined up additional lineworkers and tree trimmers to assist GMP crews in any power restoration work required. Crews will be available in all parts of the state to begin to restore outages as they occur,” the company said in a release.
Anyone experiencing outages can report them by calling Green Mountain Power at 1-888-835-4672.
Mark Bosma, the spokesman for the Vermont Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, said during extended outages earlier this month that preparedness is key for Vermonters who may experience outages.
Bosma said Vermonters without access to proper heat should call their town offices, call the Red Cross or dial 211 to be connected to a number of community resources. He said some people have stayed in shelters or been put up in hotels during this outage while crews work to restore power to their homes.
He also said that it’s important to have a “preparedness kit” at home, which should include a few days’ supply of water, canned food, a battery-powered radio, flashlights, and plenty of extra batteries.
