Weather update & blizzard aftermath communication – Wed. Jan. 27, 2016

Weather Update:

Forecast & Conditions: The sun is out today but tonight it will get cold and refreeze. Team Members traveling this evening and Thursday morning, as well as Friday morning, should watch for slick spots on the roads and please slow down. Also be careful when out walking. Allow extra time getting on and off campus.

Watch Your Step Outside: Please remind patients and visitors and your fellow Team Members to watch your step outside. Although sidewalks are plowed and salted, there is still the potential for a slick spot here and there, especially after an overnight refreeze. Also be cautious in the parking garages too. There are parts not salted, so watch your step! It’s still winter!

Let Maintenance & Engineering know if you see any issues outside the building with major icy patches or structural problems with the building – ext. 7-1059.

Allow Extra Time Getting On/Off Campus: Also, with the roads around and on campus still being cleared off, along with the refreeze, please allow plenty of extra time to get to work. There will be some delays coming and going during the daytime especially with lanes reduced by snow and other hazards, including a larger volume of people again. Patience is a must but extra time is key. Please remind families, visitors and patients coming to campus for appointments of the same.

Metro Update:

• Subway – is back to a normal schedule
• Metro Bus – is on a snow plan, meaning they may still not be able to get to all locations. Check ahead.
• Metro Access – again, very similar to bus service. Service is restored, but they may not yet be able to get into all neighborhoods. Patients should check ahead before coming.

 For info, go to - wmata.com

Communications:

Keep up-to-date on the latest traffic with the following sites/apps:

• WTOP-FM 103.5 - http://wtop.com/
• NBC4 D.C. - http://www.nbcwashington.com/
• WBAL-AM/Baltimore region - http://www.wbal.com/
• Social media – follow us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MedStarNRH/ - or Twitter - @MedStarNRH - https://twitter.com/medstarnrh - or go to the website for details especially during weather emergencies - http://www.medstarnrh.org/#q={}
• Status Hotline – we aim to keep it updated during emergencies – 202-877-1778
• RSAN alerts – sign up using this URL - https://alert.medstar.net

Snow Emergency Kit:

Below are some items to include in a snow emergency car kit:

• Sleeping bag
• Flashlight
• Batteries
• Extra Clothes
• Water
• Transportable Phone Charger
• 2 Traffic Flares
• Waterproof matches
• Hand warmers
• Ice Scraper
• Shovel
• Kitty Litter / Salt bags

For future reference, consider gathering these things if you do not have them for after this storm is done, as part of your personal emergency preparedness plan – just in case you are in your car someday in a snowstorm and get stranded.

Media Contact:
Derek T. Berry
Director of Communications
Ph: 202-877-1773
[email protected]