State of emergency issued; National Guard to assist storm response
With an impending winter storm expected to impact Delaware, Gov. John Carney has issued a State of Emergency statewide authorizing the Delaware National Guard to assist state and local officials with any necessary response and recovery for this winter storm effective midnight Wednesday, March 21.
The authorization will allow the National Guard to mobilize resources to assist with response related to heavy snow in New Castle County, and potential coastal flooding in Kent and Sussex counties. The State of Emergency also directs state agencies to assist in response and recovery efforts in coordination with the Delaware Emergency Management Agency. The State of Emergency will remain in effect until further notice.
State of Delaware offices in New Castle County will be closed Wednesday, March 21, from 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Nonessential employees who live or work in New Castle County are not to report to work for this period. Essential employees are to report as scheduled.
For Sussex County, a quarter of DelDOT staff will report at 2 a.m. and DelDOT will be fully staffed by 7 a.m. Staff will also be monitoring Route 1 for potential flooding south of Dewey Beach throughout the storm.
The March 21 Delaware General Assembly session inn Dover has been cancelled.
Throughout the storm, motorists may monitor real-time conditions, snow plow activity, and traffic cameras by using DelDOT's Smartphone application. The DelDOT App is available for Apple and Android smartphones and tablets, and can be downloaded free. Search for "DelDOT" at the Apple and Google Play stores. Motorists can also listen to WTMC 1380 AM for updates on road conditions.
No driving restrictions have been implemented at this time, though motorists should use caution throughout the overnight hours as slippery conditions are possible.
DART First State transit services crews have prepared equipment, service contractors have been notified, and snow removal contractors have been put on notice. Reservations and Control Center are prepared for a high volume of calls due to the possibility of passengers wanting to cancel or reschedule paratransit trips as the storm approaches.
DelDOT will continue to provide regular updates throughout the duration of the storm event. Contact C.R. McLeod, DelDOT Director of Community Relations with any storm-related questions at 302-388-2303, or Charles.mcleod@state.de.us.
