DPW Prepares for the Storm

The Department of Public Works has 38 staffers on stand-by for the weekend in preparation for the winter storm likely to smack Westfield this weekend.

Public Works Superintendent Claude Shaffer said the department is loading the salt trucks up and preparing the snow removal equipment for the weekend storm. The National Weather Service is predicting up to five inches of snow hitting Westfield with the storm likely to start around 9 p.m. tomorrow night. Shaffer said the latest forecasts to come to his office have the heaviest snow falling between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. Sunday morning with the snow likely to stop by 4 a.m. on Sunday.

"We have all the plows ready and we are prepared with the salt," Shaffer said.

Shaffer said he will be monitoring weather forecasts and remaining in touch with town emergency management officials over the weekend in order to deploy the department's resources. He said once the trucks are deployed, major roads will be tackled first before heading out other parts of town. Once all DPW workers on call for the storm are in place, Schaffer expects the 24 zones in town to be cleared quickly.

Shaffer said his department's employees are ready to be activated in the middle of the night based on snow predictions.

"As soon as we need to be out there we will call the guys in," he said.