Safety tips, swift service by borough services intended to deal with inconveniences of season
The first months of the calendar year are often fraught with the worries, sacrifices and inconveniences that accompany the onset of winter weather.
Cold, wind chill, sleet, freezing rain and snow — the capricious whims of Mother Nature in the Northeast — all possess the potential to cause travel headaches, vehicular accidents, property damage, power outages, gaps in the educational process and lost revenue for thousands of residents in Haddonfield and beyond.
However, Haddonfield has plans in place to help residents navigate the disruptions caused by inclement weather, from its public works department, the fire department as well as its school district.
Upon the expectation of a snow event, public works advises residents to make arrangements to park vehicles either in a borough parking lot or on private property overnight so plowing streets will be easier, without the possibility of plowing a vehicle in. Additionally, the borough does not clear driveways that get blocked in the process of plowing the streets.
“During a snow event, no amount of public works effort can keep the roads perfectly clear and safe. Residents should avoid going out if possible, and use extreme caution if they have to go out,” said Commissioner John Moscatelli.
According to borough administrator Sharon McCullough, there is a temporary parking prohibition for snow plowing and removal, which states that whenever snow has fallen and accumulation covers the street or highway, an emergency shall exist and no vehicle shall be parked on any street and all municipal parking lots. Those prohibitions will remain in effect after the snow has ceased, and until streets have been plowed sufficiently where parking will not interfere with normal flow of traffic.
“In order for us to do our best to clear the roads, it’s really helpful to have residents get their cars off the streets prior to the snowfall. It makes plowing much faster, safer and more effective,” Moscatelli added.
Additionally, the borough has a requirement for owners, landlords, and tenants of property for commercial, retail or professional offices to remove snow and ice from the sidewalks within 18 hours after ice forms or snowfall ends. There is no requirement for residential properties.
Chief Sam Trotman of Haddon Fire Company №1 advised residents the following should be added, checked or remedied within their homes during the winter months: carbon monoxide and smoke detectors in each house, checking the expiration date and making sure to replace batteries if needed, and to remove snow and ice from vents around residences.
In addition, Trotman said space heaters should be operated at safe distance from combustible materials indoors. To avoid over-use of surge protectors; change heater filters and clean fireplace flues as needed; empty fireplace debris in metal trash cans and store away from a residence; avoid use of generators inside a residence during power outages; and clear snow away from fire hydrants.
Regarding the Haddonfield School District, Superintendent Larry Mussoline wants parents to know the decision to open or close schools in bad weather is based on a careful analysis of many factors, including information on road conditions from the borough, snow and ice accumulations, whether or not precipitation is continuing, and the condition of buildings and grounds.
“We share information with other local districts and check whether they are opening or closing. Many superintendents (colleagues in adjacent districts) and I talk early on inclement-weather mornings,” Mussoline stated.
In an email sent to parents back in late November, Mussoline revealed they will receive an e-mail and text message from the school messaging system. He also advised them to turn to local broadcast media (KYW News Radio, CBS Philly, 6 ABC, NBC 10, Fox 29) and the district website (www.haddonfieldschools.org) for updated information.
“Located in a two square-mile town where just about everyone walks to school, we typically have to be hit pretty hard making roads and sidewalks impassable for us to close. We don’t have back roads, and since the borough and the school district are one clear entity, we work together to try our best to ensure business as usual during weather transitions,” Mussoline added.
