Jeff Co. EMA Director Jim Coker in Road conditions

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Glad to have you long this morning on this Friday,
January tenth. And yes, we got some snow over nineteen
about three or four inches in my front yard. Hope
to hear from you and how you're doing. Phones are
open to a five four three nine nine three seven
two four three nine nine three seven two. Joining us now,
Jim Coker, Jefferson County EMA Director, Jim, welcome in. Thanks

(00:20):
for being with us. So I've known you for years,
and uh, when we get this kind of snow here, uh,
it gets a little treacherous. And I don't see many
vehicles moving around out there this morning. So how you're
feeling about everything around the county? Now, what do we have?

Speaker 2 (00:37):
J T you the county north southeast of west we
have issues. Snow just produced a lot of slick areas
and it's just not advisible to travel right now.

Speaker 1 (00:48):
Yeah, no doubt about it. I saw the staying in
touch with our friends at the Foxix Weather Center and
they had some shots up of a jackknife eighteen wheeler
and when they get moving and sliding, not good. So
even if you think you might be able to get around,
let's just wait. A good idea not to you know,
get out there and move through. It could be really
dangerous for you. So here in the Bluff Park area

(01:11):
a bunch of snow, Jim, what are you hearing about
other parts of the county and on into North Shelby County.

Speaker 2 (01:18):
You know, really it's the same story. The streets are treacherous.
If you don't have to drive, please don't. It's a
beautiful snow from what I've heard. Yeah, and this is
a good time to go out in the front door
and get pictures or you know, walk through your neighborhood,
but be very careful. We discourage driving right now. We
do have a lot of streets that are again very treacherous.

(01:41):
One significant roadway is Highway thirty one coming down from
s Tavia Passbrookwood Hospital that highways closed with barricades, bolt
risk it unless you have an emergency. And if you
have a true emergency called nine one one.

Speaker 1 (01:57):
Yeah, what exactly do you guys do with the EMA,
Jim in situations like this? What is your team prepared
to do if need being? What are they working on?

Speaker 2 (02:09):
You know that has shifted over the last several decades
and we actually do a lot of coordination between agencies now,
so we get reports from agencies nine on one centers
public safety agencies, and we take that information and we
transferred on to the loa of service and other departments
that can actually help with standing in that.

Speaker 1 (02:33):
Yeah, we're gonna be talking with the folks from al
Dott coming up here at about seven to ten this morning.
We don't have the trucks with salt and plows like
they do up north Obviys, So we get this event
maybe once twice a year, so anything as far as
you know where trucks are already out there and moving
through the different areas and taking care of the main roads.

Speaker 2 (02:57):
You know, we know Al Dott is out doing sand
and they pretreated the roads in advance of the event.
But this snow is still presenting problems and it is
better just to not drive today. Don't risk and damaging
your vehicle, don't risk injury, and stand and enjoy this
snow for a while. As Micky said, we hope that
by midafternoon a lot of this will be abated, but

(03:21):
let's don't take the risks in the meantime.

Speaker 1 (03:23):
Great advice. Jim Cooker, director of EMA here in Jefferson County,