Warren County agencies are preparing for damaging ice

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Local and state governments along with local electric companies are working together to prepare for the ice that is supposed to be coming on Thursday.

With the rain, ice and frigid temperatures on their way, South Central Kentucky could be looking at some significant ice storm damage.

Ronnie Pearson, the director of Warren County Emergency Management, says to prepare, his team is gearing up to respond to any emergency that may occur during or following the storm.

“We are just trying to make everybody prepared and aware. We like the public to also be aware and prepared. Make sure that you have your family disaster kit in the event that things go south. Check on the elderly, your friends and neighbors to make sure that they are safe and warm. You pets, take care of those. I encourage if the roads do get slick is people stay home,” said Pearson.

Greg Meredith, the director of Bowling Green Public Works says he and his team are preparing to respond to remove debris from roadways and will be working to clear off side and neighborhood roads.

“For the ice storm, it’s something that we don’t get often here fortunately. Our preparation really consists of making sure that all of our equipment is ready to go. With an ice storm, you get tree damage. You get trees that come down and branches, etc. So, our crews kind of go out and open the roads up if it’s severe enough,” said Meredith.

The roads may get icy, and ice can make stopping a vehicle quite difficult.

Officials like Wes Watt, the public information officer for the Kentucky Department of Transportation in Bowling Green, encourage motorists to avoid driving if at all possible, but if you must, drive slowly and increase stopping distances significantly.

“We don’t really know for sure what we are going to get, but we are prepared to respond at all angles. Unfortunately, we will not be able to put out anti-icing prior to the event because it is supposed to come in as rain first. If we were to put that down, then the rain just washes it off and it’s a waste. It doesn’t do any good,” said Watt.

Another major danger during ice storms is downed power lines.

These lines could still be live, meaning electricity is still flowing through them.

Touching it or touching liquid near it could cause you to get electrocuted.

According to Kim Phelps, the Senior Director of Communications and Public Relations for Warren RECC, you should stay away from any power line that may be damaged from the ice or fallen trees.

“Make sure to keep your distance from a downed power line. Just let somebody know. Our guys are well trained to know what is still live and energized but the average person may not be and we don’t want anybody to get hurt,” said Phelps.

Fallen trees or branches in roadways or downed power lines can be deadly hazards.

If you see a hazard, contact local law enforcement.

If you see any extreme damage and are able to safely do so, send us a news tip and photos at news@wnky.com.