Hazard board hears winter readiness updates as crews finalize routes and training

The St. Mary's County Hazard Mitigation Planning Board received coordinated winter-preparedness briefings at its Nov. 19 meeting, where county and state representatives said equipment, materials and training are in place for the snow season.

Acting Department of Public Works official Donnie Mills said the county truck fleet is prepped with plow frames and salt boxes, loaders are staged at salt barns in Saint Andrews/Leonardtown, and salt barns have been replenished. Mills described a recent snowplow "rodeo" training event with 10 obstacles designed to help drivers refine maneuvering skills and thanked the Hollywood Fire Department for use of its parking lot for the exercise. He said final snow-route contracts are being completed and that all routes have been assigned and covered.

Philip Birch of SHA (State Highway Administration) reported that SHA completed its fall inspection Nov. 12 and that its equipment and barns are ready; he said SHA finalizes staging only in the lead-up to an event and is nearly finished with its snow contracts.

Eric Benson from the county IT office urged residents to consult an online snow-removal map that tracks how many times streets have been cleared by county crews and contractors, saying DPW coordinates the data annually. Benson said the map is available on the county website and is intended to help residents track clearing activity during storms.

The updates reflect operational steps the board and partner agencies say are being taken to reduce transportation hazards this winter. No new formal directives or funding decisions were taken at the meeting.