'Stay Off The Roads, A State of Emergency will Be Declared,' In Suffolk And Town, Brookhaven Hwy Supe Says

BROOKHAVEN TOWN, NY — Brookhaven Town Highways Superintendent Dan Losquadro told Patch Friday that he is urging residents to stay home during the snowstorm, noting that the Town of Brookhaven and Suffolk County will both issue states of emergency — requiring vehicles to be off the roadways so that they can be plowed.

Forecasters are predicting the storm, which is supposed to start Friday afternoon, will dump between four and eight inches — in the region.

As of Friday afternoon, the town's salt barns were completely full, and its equipment ready to go.

"Accumulation is probably starting around six o'clock, so you will see us out on the road. If I can say one thing to people: 'Stay home,'" he said. "The county and the town will both be declaring states of emergency, meaning you are not allowed to park your cars on the road."

"We always tell people not to park their cars on the road — this codifies that," he said. But please, even if it means sharing driveways with a neighbor, get your cars off the road. It makes our cleanup much easier so that we can push all the way back to the curb line, and it makes your cleanup easier when you're not trying to dig a car out of snow that's been packed in by a plow truck."

"So it is better for everyone if you can get your vehicles off the street," he said.

Patch has reached out to the county.

In Patchogue, village officials also warned of a snow emergency.

The department will have around 400 pieces of equipment out, including 250 town vehicles, and there is another 150 hired pieces of equipment, according to Losquadro.

Losquadro's supervisors are coordinating with all their employees across different divisions, including the mechanic shop, and the welding and fabrication shop, making sure that all of our vehicles are in-service, prepared, and available for the storm, he said.

"We're also coordinating, as we always do, with our other departments in the town," he said, adding that there is equipment available from the departments of waste management, parks, and from general services, which are going to be supplementing in-house capabilities.

The town's contractors will also be hard at work through the storm.

"We've had a steady stream of additional people coming in today, which is kind of common before a storm, our latest last-minute people," he said, adding that the town is signing up additional equipment, which always makes them happy because it speeds up cleanup operations.

He is hoping that the cleanup will be a little bit easier seeing that tomorrow is Saturday, which is a day that many people are off.

"I hope people don't get going early in the morning," he said. "I hope they choose to sleep in tomorrow, because it is a Saturday. The timing of the storm is a little difficult. It's basically going to go from six to six."

"What people have to remember is once those flakes stop flying, it really takes us at least 12 hours from that point to complete our cleanup operation," he said. "So we'll be plowing all night, trying to keep ahead of it."

Also important to remember is that for anyone who decides to go out at eight o'clock in the morning, they may have been plowed three or four hours before that, but there might still be another two inches of snow on the road.

"It doesn't mean we haven't been there," he said. "It doesn't mean we won't be back. Just in the early morning hours, if people do choose to go out, which we're encouraging them not to, you do have to expect winter driving conditions, because the snow is not going to stop until around daybreak."

The final cleanup will not begin until it stops snowing, when the plows are not just keeping roads open and passable.

"That's when you're pushing all your intersections back and doing the final cleanup on the cul-de-sacs and all of that stuff," he said, adding that "it's a process."

He urged anyone who does not have to go out to "be grateful for that."

"Stay home, drink your coffee, your tea, and let those crews do their jobs," he added.

Losquadro said he does not believe the storm will be "a blockbuster," as Brookhaven Town has experienced in the past.

"We're just really urging people stay home," he said. "Stay safe, stay warm. Let us do our job."

"I do hear some people on the radio or television saying, 'Stay home unless it's an emergency.' I say stay home, especially if it's an emergency," he said, adding that the last thing needed if there is an emergency is "to be stuck in a ditch on the side of the road."

"If you have an emergency, call 911, let help come to you," he said. "Those ambulances have chains on them. They are adapted to drive in these conditions. If you have a real emergency call, let help come to you. Other than that, please stay home. Let us do our jobs."