ODOT begins round-the-clock shifts in preparation of the winter blast coming to NE Ohio

CLEVELAND - Round-the-clock shifts go into effect for ODOT crews in Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties as they prep for the forecasted 6-15 inches of snow into Saturday.

In Cuyahoga County, 20 snowplow operators are currently prepping ice and snow equipment and treating roads, as needed, ahead of the storm. After midnight, a crew of 50 snowplows will be on the roads throughout the day.

In neighboring Lake County, 6 snowplow operators are out prepping ice and snow equipment and treating the roads. After midnight, 14 snowplow crews will be on the roads.

Ten snowplow drivers in Geauga Countyare prepping ice and snow equipment and treating roads. After midnight, a crew of 14 snowplows will be on duty.

As a result of the weather forecasts, which include the possibility of sustained winds in

excess of 50 mph, FirstEnergy utilities have implemented the company’s storm preparation process. It includes notifying employees to be on standby, contacting contractor crews for possible deployment, assessing the need for staging sites, and addressing employee schedule coordination. As part of this process, FirstEnergy crews and support personnel will remain in their respective service areas until the full impact of the potential weather event is known.

"We are keeping a close eye on the weather and will be ready to respond immediately to assist our customers should sustained high winds cause any problems,” said Mark Julian, vice president of utility operations, FirstEnergy. "FirstEnergy utility companies have addressed the challenges of severe winter weather for more than 100 years and our utility crews and support staff are highly trained to operate in all weather conditions.”

FirstEnergy customer call centers will be fully staffed. If you are without power call 1-888-LIGHTSS to report the outage.

You can download our Storm Shield app (a life-saving weather radio) here: http://5.wews.com/ggXxZ