THIS IS I-4 AND LAKE BOONE
TRAIL.
THIS IS IN RALEIGH.
THANKS YOU FOR SENDING THAT.
THE GOVERNOR IS READY TO SPEAK.
LET'S TAKE A LISTEN.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
NORTH CAROLINA IS IN THE COLD
ICY GRIP OF A MAMMOTH WINTER
STORM.
ENJOY THE BEAUTY BUT RESPECT
THE DANGER.
SNOW AND ICE CAN MAKE THE SCENE
OUTSIDE YOUR WINDOW LOOK LIKE A
HOLIDAY CARD, BUT DON'T BE
FOOLED.
THIS STORM IS TREACHEROUS
ESPECIALLY IF YOU TRY TO DRIVE
IN IT.
SNOW AND ICE HAVE FALLEN ACROSS
MOST OF OUR STATE FROM THE
MOUNTAINS IN THE WEST TO ROCKY
MOUNT AND GREENVILLE IN THE
EAST.
AND FROM THE VIRGINIA BORDER
COUNTIES AS FAR SOUTH AS
CHARLOTTE.
ALREADY SOME AREAS HAVE SEEN
MORE THAN A FOOT OF SNOW AND
SLEET AND WE STILL HAVE HOURS
AND INCHES OF SNOW AND ICE YET
TO COME IN MANY PLACES.
FROM CHARLOTTE ACROSS
CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA, THE
BIGGEST CONCERN NOW IS ICE
MAKING ROADS EVEN MORE
DANGEROUS AND INCREASING THE
LIKELIHOOD OF MORE POWER
OUTAGES.
TRAVEL CONDITIONS ARE EXTREMELY
HAZARDOUS IN MANY PLACES.
THE STATE HIGHWAY PATROL
RESPONDED TO MORE THAN 500
CRASHES JUST SINCE MIDNIGHT.
OUR TROOPERS ARE READY TO HELP
YOU, BUT DON'T PUT YOUR LIFE
AND THE LIVES OF FIRST
RESPONDERS AT RISK BY GETTING
OUT ON ROADS COVERED WITH SNOW
AND ICE.
INSTEAD, STAY PUT IF YOU CAN.
WRAP A FEW PRESENTS, DECORATE
THE TREE, WATCH SOME FOOTBALL.
OUR NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION CREWS ARE
WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO
CLEAR THE ROADS.
OVERNIGHT, THEY WORK WITH THE
NORTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY PATROL
AND NATIONAL GUARD TO CLEAR
TRACTOR-TRAILERS THAT
JACKKNIFED ON I-26 IN POLK
COUNTY CLOSING THE INTERSTATE
FOR A FEW HOURS.
THEY ALSO CLEARED A WRECK THAT
CLOSED I-4O IN HEYWOOD COUNTY.
U.S. 70 IS CLOSED WHERE A
TRACTOR-TRAILER RAN OFF THE
ROAD AND INTO THE RIVER.
POWER OUTAGES ARE
INCREASING.
AT 10:45:00 A.M.
THIS MORNING, MORE THAN 170,000
NORTH CAROLINA HOUSEHOLDS WERE
WITHOUT POWER.
MOSTLY IN THE MOUNTAIN
COUNTIES, THE TRIANGLE AND
MECKLENBURG COUNTIES.
UTILITY CREWS BROUGHT IN
MORE THAN 1500 CREWS FROM OTHER
STATES TO HELP US AND THEY ARE
WORKING QUICKLY TO RESTORE
POWER.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THEIR WORK
IN THESE DIFFICULT CONDITIONS.
NORTH CAROLINA IS
RESPONDING WELL TO THIS STORM
AND REMAINS READY FOR WHATEVER
ELSE IT MAY BRING OUR WAY.
I DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY
FOR THE ENTIRE STATE AND THAT
REMAINS IN EFFECT.
OUR NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS HAVE
BEEN ACTIVATED WITH 172 GUARD
MEMBERS AND OVER 60 SPECIAL
VEHICLES AND THEY ARE
RESPONDING AS NEEDED.
18 COUNTIES HAVE DECLARED
SEPARATE STATES OF EMERGENCIES
AND 11 SHELTERS HAVE OPENED.
OUR EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER
HERE IN RALEIGH IS OPEN WITH
ALL OF OR PARTNERS THAT ARE
HERE WORKING TOGETHER TO KEEP
NORTH CAROLINA SAFE AND TO GET
US THROUGH THIS STORM.
WE'RE SO GRATEFUL TO THE
ROAD CREWS AND THE FIRST
RESPONDERS AND THE UTILITY
CREWS WHO ARE BRAVING THIS
HARSH WEATHER TO KEEP US SAFE
AND WARM.
HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO TO STAY
SAFE AT HOME.
ONLY USE AN ALTERNATE SOURCE OF
HEAT IF YOU CAN DO IT SAFELY.
CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING CAN
BE DEADLY.
WE HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE.
NEVER USE A GAS POWERED
GENERATOR OF A FUEL BURNING
DEVICE INDOORS, IN YOUR GARAGE
OR NEAR AN OPEN DOOR OR WINDOW.
NEVER USE CHARCOAL GRILLS OR
PROPANE GRILLS INDOORS AND
NEVER TRY TO HEAT YOUR HOME
WITH A GAS OF VEN.
DRESS IN LAYERS TO STAY WARM.
KEEP YOUR PETS INDOORS DURING
THE STORM AND DURING FRIGID
WEATHER.
REMEMBER TO CHECK ON LOVED ONES
AND NEIGHBORS ESPECIALLY
SENIORS IF YOU CAN DO IT
SAFELY.
STAY OFF THE ROADS COVERED WITH
SNOW AND ICE.
ROADS THAT JUST LOOK WET CAN
INSTEAD BE SLICK WITH ICE.
IF YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST DRIVE,
CHECK ROAD CONDITIONS BEFORE
YOU LEAVE AT DRIVE NC.GOV.
CLEAR YOUR CAR OF SNOW AND ICE
AND SLOW DOWN AND LEAVE PLENTY
OF ROOM BETWEEN YOUR VEHICLE
AND OTHER VEHICLES.
KEEP AN EMERGENCY KIT IN YOUR
CAR WITH AN ICE SCRAPER, JUMPER
CABLES, TOW CHAIN, FLASHLIGHT,
FIRST-AID KIT.
YOU CAN GET MORE TIPS ON
PREPARING FOR WINTER WEATHER AT
READY INC.ORG.
READY NC.ORG.
WITH HURRICANES, TORNADOES,
MUDSLIDES AND NOW A MAJOR
WINTER STORM THAT HAS HIT US
BEFORE CHRISTMAS MOTHER NATURE
HAS BEEN HARD ON NORTH CAROLINA
THIS YEAR.
OUR STATE HAS BEEN TESTED LIKE
NEVER BEFORE.
BUT WE'RE TOUGH AND RESILIENT.
WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS STORM
AND GET BACK TO BUSINESS AND
SCHOOL AND GET BACK TO BUILDING
COMMUNITIES THAT WERE HIT HARD
BY HURRICANE FLORENCE.
HERE WITH ME TODAY IS NORTH
CAROLINA'S TEAM RESPONDING TO
THE STORM.
I HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY SECRETARY
ERIC HOOKS, TRANSPORTATION
SECRETARY JIM, EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR MIKE SPRAY
BERRY, NORTH CAROLINA NATIONAL
GUARD BRIGADIER GENERAL, TODD
HUNT AND HIGHWAY PATROL
COMMANDER, GLEN MCNEAL.
WE ALSO HAVE LEE WILLIAMSON,
OUR AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE
INTERPRETER TODAY.
I'M FIRST GOING TO CALL ON
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR
MIKE SPRAY BERRY.
MIKE.
THANK YOU, GOVERNOR.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
AS A SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM
CONTINUES TO MOVE ACROSS NORTH
CAROLINA, WE'RE ENGAGE ID WITH
OUR STATE EMERGENCY RESPONSE
TEAM PARTNERS IT RESPONSE
OPERATION.
THE STATE EOC AND OUR
COORDINATING CENTERS ARE
ACTIVATED AS WELL AS MANY
COUNTY 0ECs TO GIVE RESPONSE TO
CAPABILITY IN ALL IMPACTED
AREAS.
WE HAVE NUMEROUS RESOURCES
DEPLOYED THROUGHOUT WESTERN AND
CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA TO
SUPPORT LIFE SAFETY MISSIONS.
OUR STATE AGENCIES VOLUNTEER
AGENCIES, UTILITIES AND PRIVATE
SECTOR ARE WORKING HARD.
CURRENTLY OUR DOT, NATIONAL
GUARD, STATE HIGHWAY PATROL,
WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION,
AND DMV LICENSE AND THEFT
TEAMMATES ARE WORKING HARD TO
KEEP OUR ROADS SAFE.
THE UTILITY CREWS ARE WORKING
HARD TO ENSURE EVERYONE HAS
POWER.
PLEASE STAY OFF THE ROAD SO
THEY CAN SAFELY EXECUTE THEIR
MISSIONS.
AS ALWAYS, FOLLOW THE
INSTRUCTIONS OF YOUR LOCAL
OFFICIALS AND STAY TUNED TO
YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF
THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE
EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM.
THANK YOU, SIR.
THANK YOU, MIKE.
I'LL NOW RECOGNIZE JIM.
THANK YOU, GOVERNOR.
WE'RE REALLY APPREC YA TIVE OF
THE OUTSTANDING INFORMATION
THAT WE GOT IN PREDICTING THIS
WINTER WEATHER EVENT.
IT WAS VERY ACCURATE AND TRULY
HELPED US APPLY THE RIGHT
RESOURCES ESPECIALLY FOR NOSE
IN THE RIGHT LOCATIONS AND NOT
IN AREAS NOT NEEDED SO WE ARE
APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
IT IS MUCH EASIER TO TALK ABOUT
THE COUNTIES NOT AFFECTED BIRE
THIS.
CUMBERLAND TO THE SOUTH AND
EAST TO WILMINGTON AND FROM
SCOTLAND ACROSS U.S. 74 TO
UNION AND CHEROKEE, CLAY NOT
IMPACTED BY THIS EVENT.
ALL OTHER LOCATIONS ALL OF THE
COUNTIES AND ROUTES ARE THE
SAME AS OF 7:00 THIS MORNING.
ALL ROUTES WERE COVERED WITH
EITHER SNOW OR A MIX OF ICE AND
SNOW.
SO TRAVEL TODAY WILL BE
EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS IN ALL OF
THOSE AREAS SO PLEASE STAY HOME
UNLESS IT IS CRITICAL AND
IMPERATIVE FOR YOU TO TRAVEL.
OUR FOCUS TODAY WILL BE
CLEARING INTERSTATES AND THEN
SHIFTING TO U.S. ROUTES FOR
EXAMPLE U.S. 74, U.S. 70, U.S.
64, THOSE ROUTES AND PLOWING
AND SALTING THOSE.
THAT IS ABOUT 5,000 MILES OF
ROADS HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA.
WE'LL HAVE ABOUT 2,000 DOT
TRUCKS, SUPPLEMENTED BY A NOT
900 CONTRACT TRUCKS ASSISTING
US IN THAT EFFORT.
WE ANTICIPATE THAT THAT FOCUS
WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TODAY AND
THEN TOMORROW WE'LL FOCUS ON
CLEARING THE NORTH CAROLINA
PRIMARIES ONCE WE FINISH THOSE
STARTING ON OUR MAJOR SECONDARY
ROUTES TOMORROW.
THAT IS ABOUT 11,000 MILES OF
ADDITIONAL ROADS.
THAT WILL BE OUR FOCUS TODAY
AND TOMORROW, BUT AS I STRESS,
TRAVEL WILL BE HAZARDOUS BOTH
OF THESE DAYS BASED ON HOW FAST
WE CAN CLEAR THIS, HOW FAST
THIS STORM CLEARS OUR AREA, AND
HOW QUICKLY THE TEMPERATURES
WARM UP.
WE DO ANTICIPATE MORE WINTER
WEATHER IMPACTING THESE AREAS
THROUGHOUT TODAY.
IF YOU MUST TRAVEL, PLEASE
VISIT THE WEBSITE AND CLICK ON
THE ADVERSE WEATHER TAB TO GIVE
YOU DETAILED STATUSES OF EACH
OF OUR COUNTIES IN NORTH
CAROLINA.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, JIM.
NORTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY PATROL
COMMANDER COLONEL GLEN NEIL.
THANK YOU, GOVERNOR.
GOOD MORNING.
TROOPERS IT WESTERN PART OF OUR
STATE BEGAN SEEING THE AFFECTS
OF THE STORM LAST NIGHT AND
THESE AFFECTS HAVE CONTINUED TO
MOVE EAST ACROSS THE STATE AND
INTO CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.
UNFORTUNATELY MANY THAT HAVE
VENTURED OUT ARE SEEING
FIRSTHAND THE AFFECTS OF THIS
DANGEROUS STORM.
ROADWAY CONDITIONS ARE
HAZARDOUS AND IN SOME CASES
IMPASSABLE.
FROM MID FIGHT TO THIS MORNING,
THE PATROL HAS RESPONDED AND
INVESTIGATED 509 COLLISIONS AND
RESPONDED TO 1,100 CALLS FOR
SERVICE.
WE LIKE TO RESTATE THE
FOLLOWING SAFETY TIPS IF YOU
MUST ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO TRAVEL.
MAKE SURE THAT YOUR VEHICLE
IS READY TO TRAVEL IN THIS
STORM'S CONDITIONS.
YOUR TIRES, WINDSHIELD WIPERS
AND HEADLIGHTS SHOULD BE
CHECKED BEFORE TRAVELING TO
INSURE THAT THEY ARE IN GOOD
WORKING ORDER.
FOLLOWING DISTANCES SHOULD BE
DOUBLED FROM NORMAL DRIVING
CONDITIONS AT THE VERY, VERY
LEAST.
THIS ALLOWS FOR SAFE STOPPING
IF ANOTHER MOTORIST AROUND YOU
SHOULD LOSE CONTROL.
MOST COLLISIONS THAT WE'RE
SEEING INVOLVE SPEED.
ALLOWING EXTRA TIME TO ARRIVE
AT YOUR LOCATION IS ESSENTIAL
TO YOU MAKING IT THERE SAFELY.
CONTINUE TO USE STAR HP TO
REPORT COLLISIONS AND FOR
EMERGENCY CALLS ONLY.
COLLECTING ROADWAY
CONDITIONS SHOULD BE DONE
THROUGH DRIVE N. C.GOV.
IF YOU HAVE TO TRAVEL, ADHERE
TO OUR MOVE-OVER LAWS.
REDUCE YOUR SPEED.
CHANGE LANES, GIVE OUR FIRST
RESPONDERS THE ROOM THAT THEY
NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO THEIR
IMPORTANT WORK.
KEEP IN MIND THAT YOUR DECISION
TO DRIVE ON TODAY COULD MEAN
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR
LIFE OR DEATH.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE HEEDING
THESE WARNINGS THAT WE'RE
PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY BY
STAYING OFF OUR ROADWAYS.
YOU'RE HELPING TO KEEP OUR
FIRST RESPONDERS AND YOURSELF
SAFE.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU COLONEL.
NOW NORTH CAROLINA NATIONAL
GUARD TODD HUNT.
GENERAL HUNT.
THANK YOU, GOVERNOR.
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A QUICK
UPDATE AND ANALYSIS OF THE
GUARD'S ACTIVITIES.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE 172 SOLDIERS
AND AIRMEN ON DUTY THROUGHOUT
THE STATE.
ALONG WITH 64 VEHICLES.
THOSE VEHICLES COMPOSED OF
HUMVEES, WRECKERS AND L NTVs
WHICH IS A HIGHER STRONGER
VEHICLE THAN NORMAL.
WE'RE THROUGHOUT CENTRAL AND
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
SPECIFICALLY INTO ASHEVILLE,
GREENVILLE, AND CHARLOTTE.
WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DOT
AND LOCAL EMERGENCY RESPONDERS.
OUR MISSIONS THERE ARE TO HELP
WITH STRANDED MOTORISTS,
TRANSPORT ESSENTIAL HEALTH
PERSONNEL AND DO HEALTH
COLLECTION ALONG THE WAY.
WE ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT EACH
OTHER'S AGENCIES AND TO HELP
THE LOCAL CITIZENS AND LOCAL
EMERGENCY SERVICES THROUGHOUT
THE STATE.
IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY
I WANT TO THANK THE CITIZEN
SOLE SOLDIERS FOR
THEIRDLEDCATION DURING ANOTHER
NATURAL DAYS SISTER THROUGHOUT
THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA AND
WE'RE HERE TO HELP.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU GENERAL.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE LEADERSHIP
OF PUBLIC SAFETY SECRETARY ERIC
HOOKS WHOSE DEPARTMENT OVERSEES
THE NATIONAL GUARD, THE HIGHWAY
PATROL AND EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT.
WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS IF YOU
HAVE THEM.
[ñNO AUDIOñ]
WELL, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT
THAT PARTICULAR PERFORMANCE OR
EVENT, BUT WE ARE ENCOURAGING
PEOPLE TO STAY OFF THE ROADS.
I PARTICULARLY IN THESE AREAS
WHERE TRAVEL IS HAZARDOUS.
WE HAVE SEEN TOO MANY
COLLISIONS.
WE HAVE SEEN THE POTENTIAL LOSS
OF LIFE IN AN INSTANCE, SO
WE'RE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO
STAY OFF THE ROADS.
WOULD YEAH ADVICE THESE
BUSINESSES NOT TO OPERATE
TODAY?
WELL IT DEPENDS WHAT THEY
THER DOING.
THOSE KINDS OF BUSINESSES HAVE
TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, BUT
WE'RE ADVISING PEOPLE THAT IT
IS NOT ADVICE ABLE TO BE ON THE
ROADS.
YOU MENTIONED THAT -- I
GUESS WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT THE
COASTAL AREAS AND SANDHILLS
THAT WERE SO AFFECTED BY THE
HURRICANES ARE -- [ NO AUDIO.
]
I AM WONDERING, DO YOU
ANTICIPATE THE STATE MIGHT HAVE
TO ASK FOR HELP FINANCIALLY
BECAUSE OF THIS DISASTER?
AND IF SO, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT
THE FACT WE JUST ASKED FOR MORE
MONEY BECAUSE OF THE HURRICANE?
WE'LL HAVE TO ANALYZE HOW
MUCH THIS SNOWSTORM HAS COST
OUR STATE.
WE HAVE MONEY BUDGETED FOR
THESE KINDS OF EVENTS BECAUSE
WE KNOW WE'LL HAVE OVER TIME
AND EXTRA EQUIPMENT SO MONEY IS
BUDGETED FOR THAT.
WE SPENT MOST OF OUR EFFORT
TRYING TO GET FEDERAL AND STATE
APPROPRIATIONS FOR HURRICANE
FLORENCE AND HURRICANE MICHAEL
TOO BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK
HARD ON THAT.
I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE
RESILIENT.
WE CAN WITHSTAND THESE TYPES OF
DISASTERS.
OUR RESPONSE IS VERY POSITIVE,
SO EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A
SURPRISING STORM, THIS EARLY IN
THE YEAR, I THINK OUR BUDGET
WILL BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND IT.
THERE ARE REPORTS SAYING A
TRACTOR-TRAILER SLID INTO THE
RIVER.
ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT,
WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT THE
STATUS IS.
THIS MORNING AT
APPROXIMATELY 4:30, WE RECEIVED
A REPORT OF A COLLISION THAT
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
PRESENTLY, WE HAVE TROOPERS ON
THE SCENE.
DETOURS HAVE BEEN SET UP IN
BOTH LOCATIONS.
IT WILL BE A MULTIDAY EVENT AS
FAR AS TRYING TO RECOVER THE
CAB OF THE VEHICLE.
WE HAVE A DRIVE TEAM -- A DIVE
TEAM THAT IS RESPONDING TO BE
ABLE TO ASSIST US, BUT WE'RE
STILL CONDUCTING THE
INVESTIGATION BUT THE
INFORMATION IS CORRECT AND IT
WILL BE A MULTIDAY EVENT.
WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN?
THE SHIPMENT RUPTURE OR
ANYTHING?
NO, SIR, IT DID NOT.
THE INFORMATION WE HAVE RIGHT
NOW, IT DID NOT AND WE DO NOT
HAVE THE IDENTITY OR KNOW ANY
INFORMATION ABOUT THE CAB OR