By Thomas Sellers Jr.
Advances in technology made Friday’s snowstorm no surprise to Millington and the rest of the Mid-South area.
Despite early notice, with nearly a foot of snow still comes emergencies and closures. With Millington Municipal, Tipton County and Memphis-Shelby County schools among the districts closing, the morning of Jan. 10 still had a few surprises under the slushy conditions with a down power line in South Memphis and a temporary road closure in Flag City.
Millington City Manager Frankie Dakin was ahead of the situation by releasing information to help the residents.
“In anticipation of severe winter weather, the City of Millington will close all non-essential city offices on Friday, January 10,” he said. “This closure is to ensure the safety of all residents and city personnel.’
There was a closure of Veterans Parkway that started at 8 p.m. the previous night. Alternate routes were available along Highway 51 and Navy Road to avoid the dangerous bridge under winter weather conditions.
Snow showers brought five to seven inches of snow and a wintry mix to most of the Mid-South. Highs were in the middle 30s giving the snow a wet texture. Lows dropped into the 20s causing refreezing and black ice.
Memphis Light, Gas and Water CEO Doug McGowen said all of the utility’s systems were operating as normal despite winter weather that blanketed the Mid-South on Friday.
A car crashed into a pole at Shelby Drive and Lamar Avenue around 6:30 a.m. which knocked out power to about 115 customers.
“What we’re seeing in Southwest Arkansas and Northeastern Texas is a lot of power outages because they have that freezing rain,” McGowen said. “Snow does not have the same impact. The concerns we have the rest of the day is the snow is pretty heavy, and so it could pull down some trees. I’m not worried about the power lines, I’m just worried about the trees.”
Information for Future Reference:
Water Safety Advisory: Our partners at Memphis Light, Gas & Water (MLGW) have advised residents to prepare for extreme cold by taking steps to prevent frozen and bursting water pipes. Pipes can burst anytime temperatures are below freezing, potentially leading to property damage and water loss.
Recommended Preventative Measures:
•Allow faucets to drip.
•Open cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate.
•Detach hoses from outdoor spigots.
•Insulate any exposed outdoor pipes.
•Businesses that anticipate being closed for an extended time should check periodically for broken pipes and/or leaking fire suppression systems.
Emergency Water Shut-Off Information:
Residents should know the location of their main water shut-off valve inside the home, which is often in a closet or under the sink.
If pipes burst, residents should cut off water at the street using a meter key, which can be purchased at a hardware store.
Millington Water Customers:
Millington water customers may call 901.872.3333 after hours, on weekends, city holidays, or inclement weather in the event of a broken water main or broken water line.
Additional Resources:
MLGW also has an Outage Center on their website, mlgw.com, which includes information on reporting and tracking outages, as well as a preparedness guide: mlgw.com/StormPrep. MLGW customers can also access the Outage Hotline at (901) 544-6500.
