Shelters prep for more bad weather

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By M.K. Luther - mkluther@nvdaily.com

Emergency management officials and local volunteer organizations across the Northern Shenandoah Valley were preparing to reopen or extend the hours at local shelters Tuesday in anticipation of another powerful winter storm moving through the area.

In response to ongoing power outages and the storm that moved into the valley Tuesday, Warren County opened an additional shelter at the South Warren Fire Station, at 3330 Stonewall Jackson Highway in Bentonville, Fire Chief Richard E. Mabie said.

A shelter at the Shenandoah Farms Volunteer Fire Department on Howellsville Road was opened last weekend and has served 20-25 people, according to Pat Pierce, the station's rescue chief.

Pierce said volunteers and emergency services officials are wary of a new wave of power outages across the county.

"We intend on keeping the shelters open as long as there is a need," Mabie said.

Nick Geier, interim executive director of the Top of Virginia chapter of the Red Cross, said in addition to the Warren County facilities, a shelter opened at Johnson-Williams Middle School in Clarke County at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Geier said and volunteer crews could supplement supplies for shelters, and crews could try to take people from their homes to the closest shelter.

"We have got trailers and trucks loaded to deliver equipment wherever needed," Geier said. "We are just waiting to see what is going to happen with the next storm."

The Frederick County shelter at James Wood Middle School was to reopen at 8 p.m. Tuesday, according to Gail Miller, a Frederick County emergency management specialist.

The decision to reopen the shelters was made after the National Weather Service forecast a snowfall with accumulation of up to 12 inches, said Sharon Baroncelli, executive director of the Shenandoah County Chapter of Red Cross.

An emergency shelter for Shenandoah County opened at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Peter Muhlenberg Middle School in Woodstock, Baroncelli said.

The wet and heavy snow called for with this new band of winter weather could add to the power outages across the region, said David Ferguson, the fire marshal and deputy emergency coordinator with Shenandoah County Emergency Services.

"We are encouraging the citizens to use this shelter should they run into any type of need, such as power failure and need a warm place to stay," Ferguson said.

The expected strong winds coming with this storm could expand the power outages, Ferguson said.

"We are strongly encouraging citizens to use this shelter," Ferguson said.

Baroncelli emphasized that residents are free to come and go from the shelter, and are not confined for the duration of a storm or power outages.

The shelters offer people "a chance to stay warm, stay safe and get a hot meal," Baroncelli said.

Staff writer J.R. Williams contributed to this story.