Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell held a conference call earlier today to brief media on the ongoing response to the current winter storm. Below are some of the highlights:
*Three people have died in past week as direct result of snowstorms
*Shelters are open throughout the state, especially in Northern Virginia. People are urged to call 211 for info on that.
* This storm is expected to bring 7-14 inches of snow BUT it is the wind gusts of up to 54mph that is making this storm a “real risk to human life” and a “very dangerous situation.”
*There have been 709 crashes reported to the Virginia State Police (VSP) in the past 24 hours but no deaths. Also more than 4,000 calls for VSP police assistance.
*McDonnell says he spoke with DHS Secretary Napolitano and says an application for $50M in federal assistance for dealing with the December snowstorm is being viewed “favorably” and that last weekend’s storm and this one will be considered one event for purposes of getting additional federal assistance.
*He says the forecast for continued cold temperatures is good for controlling flooding but does cause other problems. He is specifically concerned with an increase in the number of people who lose electricity. Over the weekend that number hit 200,000 customers and was down to just 8,000 this morning but is back on the rise.
* “We strongly urge people to stay inside even if the sun comes out so we can plow.”