Rockland Daily: Checking in After the Storm

By M. C. Millman

In the aftermath of the storm, which dumped an average of ten inches of snow throughout Rockland County, Rockland Daily checked in with those responsible for making the process as safe and seamless as possible for residents throughout the county. 

"The Ramapo Police Department responded to numerous weather-related calls for service throughout the day yesterday, Tuesday, February 13, 2024," Town of Ramapo Captain Michael R. Colbath tells Rockland Daily. "These calls included vehicles that slid off the roadway and/or became disabled in some way, wires down, and approximately twenty-five traffic crashes attributed to the snowstorm throughout the night and day. Schools being closed and the timely and efficient roadway plowing by Town Highway certainly reduced further call volume and incidents."

 "I want to commend Highway Superintendent Fred Brinn and his entire department for the amazing job they did during and after this storm," Town of Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht shares. "They were out there from the middle of the night through the rest of the following day plowing and salting to keep our residents safe and the streets open. I want to also thank the Ramapo Police Department and all our emergency responders for their service and dedication through this event."

"During the recent snowstorm, Spring Hill Ambulance showed great readiness and flexibility in responding to emergencies,"Spring Hill Ambulance Chief Eli Ungar reports to Rockland Daily. "We had six standby crews ready to help. Our member's dedication made our operations smooth, ensuring we were ready to help our community with a quick response even in bad weather. We're thankful to our hardworking members who make this possible every day. We couldn't have managed without them."

"Luckily, the majority of the snowfall for this storm took place overnight," Town of Ramapo Highway Superintendent Fred Brinn shares exclusively with Rockland Daily. "We came into work at 1 a.m. and hit the road by 3 a.m. when the snowfall began. It also helped that schools were closed, as it's much more efficient for our plows to get the job done if they're not stuck behind stop-n-go buses. At one point, the snow was coming down an inch per hour, but we accomplished what we needed to do, and I think it went really well. All of our trucks were out there, doing their best to keep up with the storm, and there weren't any breakdowns or major issues." 

"Based on what was reported from the Department of Public Works," Village of Spring Valley Deputy Mayor Yisroel Eisenbach reports, "there were a number of streets snowplows were unable to reach due to parked cars blocking narrow streets. So, even though it might not be the law that cars can't park on the street during daylight hours if the road isn't plowed, cars shouldn't be parked on the street before, during, or during a storm. It affects the whole street, which can not be plowed due to cars blocking the way. Additionally, I am reminding residents that there is a law that they are responsible for clearing the snow from the sidewalks in front of their property within 12 hours of the end of a snowstorm. I also want to commend the  DPW for keeping our roads in good working as fast as they could, given the heavy snowfall. "

"All things considered, the County faired very well during and after our recent snowfall," Skip Vezzetti, Rockland County Highway Supervisor, tells Rockland Daily. "Unfortunately, having part of the storm come in during the early morning interfered with commuter traffic.  But for the most part, residents stayed off the road during this time to allow the villages, towns, state, and county to take care of the roads."