ATLANTA — As temperatures plummet across the country, bringing some of the coldest and most dangerous air of the winter, people are stocking up on groceries, plumbers are preparing for long shifts, and state officials are prepping thousands of miles of roadway.
Natalie Dale with the Georgia Department of Transportation says the prep work ahead of the incoming artic blast is on a much larger scale then what they had to tackle last week when Georgia was hit with a snowstorm.
“This storm system is so big, so unpredictable at this time, and the temperatures are going to be so extreme,” said Dale.
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The blast is expected to impact much of the state for a longer period, with temperatures near freezing for multiple days in a row.
“We are treating about 6,000 plus lane miles of just interstates. That is like treating a two-lane road from New York City to LA,” explained Dale.
Dale says that while they are bringing all the roadways, brining is only effective for so long under extreme low temperatures. She says crews will also be treating the roadways with salt and gravel.
As preparations continue across the state, many people could be seen packing into grocery stores Sunday.
One shopper, Jasmine Burke, sharing that she did not prepare for the last storm which is why she and her mother were buying a week’s worth of groceries, “a week felt like a good amount to be prepared for.”
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The brutal cold air is expected to place stress on electricity grids and plumbing which is why Roto-Rooter plumber, Brian Stewart says it is even more critical that people pay attention to their pipes.
“Any exposed pipe you see, you’re going to want to put some foam insulation on it to keep it warm…drip the faucets…that’s like the key thing to keeping the pressurizing coming,” Stewart explained.
Roto-Rooter experts also recommend that regardless of whether you live in a home, apartment, or condominium, you should open cabinets beneath sinks to let warm air reach the pipes and keep your furnace on and set no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
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