MARQUETTE COUNTY, Mich. (WLUC) – As the U.P.’s blizzard continues into Monday, agencies are joining forces to ensure the community’s safety throughout the heavy winds and white-out conditions.
During a news conference Monday afternoon, Marquette County Sheriff Greg Zyburt says most side roads are unpassable. He also says tow companies may not be available to pull stuck vehicles from roadways. He urges people not to travel because stuck vehicles are slowing snow removal and power restoration efforts.
“Currently, Marquette County [has] more than 2,400 customers without power,” he said. “Our restoration efforts will be challenging, and the number of outages may increase throughout the day.”
MSP Special Lieutenant Ben Eckola says drifting snow is impacting travel. Even if your car is buried, Eckola says it’s not a good idea to take a walk because it’s hard to see and hard to move.
“Plow truck drivers, or if there’s somebody else on the road, they might not see you, so visibility is something that’s a concern,” Eckola said. “You also don’t want to overexert yourself or get lost.
Despite difficult conditions, the Marquette County Emergency Operations Center has been active since 7 a.m. Sunday. A variety of personnel have been supporting community lifeline and critical infrastructure partners in the county.
Marquette County Emergency Management Program Coordinator Brian Hummel says they are still able to meet local needs with local resources.
“Our first responders have been working around the clock, as well as road commission, to respond to issues as they are coming in,” Hummel said. “It’s certainly treacherous out there, but thankfully we’ve been able to hold our own up [until] this point.”
Eckola says the MSP is also working with every U.P. county emergency coordinator to seek response and recovery needs from the State Emergency Operations Center.
“Get all of those people together and working at the SEOC in Lansing and coordinating with people in the field,” Eckola said. “So, whether it be something related to power outages or maybe fuel.”
He says the storm is tough right now, but we’ll get through it together.
Zyburt says emergency shelters and warming centers are on standby. He says Tuesday morning is the earliest shelters can safely open because of the current hazardous travel conditions.
He says to call 911 for emergencies and 211 for resources.
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