UPDATED : FREDERICK, MD. – Frederick County Government Operations including landfill will close at 12 p.m., noon, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning from 7 a.m. Wednesday until Thursday, Dec. 17 at 4 a.m. Frederick County TransIT services will continue as long as buses can safely travel. Frederick County Circuit and District Courts will be closed. Frederick County Public Libraries will be closed. FCPL is unable to provide Curbside Pickup Service. New appointments can be scheduled online or by calling your local branch once they reopen.
Emergency Management officials urge residents and businesses to make preparations for heavy mixed precipitation with possible snow accumulations ranging across the county from six to 24 inches, which will make travel very hazardous or impossible.
Highway Operations staff of the Division Public Works are pretreating roads. Crews are using salt brine, an anti-icing liquid salt mixture that has proven to be more effective than using rock salt. For information or to report issues related to clearing roads, call 301-600-1564 or visit www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/storminfo.
The risk of a heart attack during shoveling of heavy snow may increase for some who are sedentary or people with existing heart conditions like heart failure or high blood pressure or cholesterol, according to the American Heart Association. To avoid a heart attack, take frequent breaks, don’t eat a heavy meal prior to or soon after shoveling, and use a small shovel or consider a snow thrower.
For businesses, the accumulation of heavy snow and ice during a winter storm may cause building or water damage. Older buildings and those with flat roofs are more susceptible to collapsed roofs, so owners are urged to watch over their facilities.
Monitor the Frederick County Government website (www.FrederickCountyMD.gov) or social media (@FrederickCoMD and Frederick County, MD) for announcements. Or, call the public information line at 301-600-3000 or tune to FCG TV, cable channel 19 and 1085. If citizens have plans or appointments with county divisions or departments on Wednesday, visit their webpages or social media sites for information about any cancelations or closings.
Citizens should sign up for notifications at www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/ALERT.
For more information on preparing for, responding to and recovering from emergencies, visit www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/READY. The Department of Emergency Preparedness can be contacted at 301-600-1746 or via e-mail at EM@FrederickCountyMD.gov. Social media sites include: @FCG_DEM and Frederick County Division of Emergency Management.