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Mayor urges residents to be prepared for winter weather

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Ahead of the the winter weather, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett held a news conference asking people to be prepared.

He was joined by representatives from the National Weather Service and the city’s Department of Public Works (DPW).

Hogsett asked people to have plans in place to deal with rain, sleet and snow. He said the city is doing what it can to keep people safe, but residents need to do their part as well.

“The fact that this dramatic drop in temperatures is going to occur overnight it clearly, may very well impact the morning commute,” Hogsett said.

Public Works crews were ready to hit the road, but they faced some extra challenges with this winter weather. They were not able to pretreat the roads because the rain would wash it all away.

Crews were to report to work at 11 p.m. Thursday. Eighty trucks were to hit the roads and start treating the ice as soon as they’re able to.

The mayor said, “If you need to get to work or be out, you will get to where you need to go. I have no doubt in DPW. They will do a good job at cleaning off those roads, but the point is that we want to keep the number of accidents down and keep people as safe as possible.”

Hogsett also asked people to do their part. Drivers should slow down and plan extra time for their morning commute. Having a winter preparedness kit in the car is also a good idea. There may be an increase in accidents or slide-offs Friday morning, so motorists should be sure to have a way to stay warm as they wait for police to arrive.

Residents also were being urged to prepare their homes for below-freezing temperatures, bring their pets inside and check on elderly neighbors or those with disabilities.

“We are hoping for the best, but we want everyone to be prepared for the worst.”