With town government offices and most businesses shut down on Monday and Tuesday, and schools closed last week, the town hunkered down for the storm. “Most people heeded the warnings,” Chief of Police Robert Knox said. With schools closed, police staff for schools was redirected to town emergencies.
“While I don’t have any real unusual stories, I do want to compliment folks for staying off the roadways as much as possible,” Knox stated. “It did give the emergency service agencies room to work on the situation, and for that I say thank you.”
Knox also warned of possible flooding with temperatures rising and snow and ice melting.
“It is important to know that the water will have a tough time finding a place to go with the amount of snow and ice that is still with us,” Knox stated. “The roadways will likely become flooded in spots and motorists should use caution when approaching and driving through any standing water.” He also encouraged residents to clear downspouts and gutters with caution.
“Residents should be extremely careful when attempting to remove snow and ice, due to the danger involved in snow and ice falling on them, and should be very careful using a ladder if they choose to due to ice and snow on the ground, as the footing of a ladder may be compromised,” Knox stated.
Falls were the most common injury seen in Witham’s emergency rooms. “Overall, our volume has decreased because people have stayed in. We’ve seen mostly broken wrists and ankles from people slipping and falling,” Dr. Tony Steele, Director of ER for Witham Health Services, said on Jan. 7. Steele advised layering and short durations of exposure and wanted to remind people to keep the record low temperatures in perspective. “As weather gets better, don’t assume it’s okay if it’s 10 degrees higher than now,” Steele said.
While most residents stayed inside during the recent record-setting storm, the Kelly family ventured out for a hike before temperatures dropped. “Starkey Park is our favorite winter hike! You walk down the ramp from the rail trail and it’s like you’ve transported yourself to a place thousands of miles away. It’s a huge asset for our town,” Clayton Kelly said.