Prince William County update and closings for Tuesday, Oct. 30

Weather Forecast:
Rain continuing today through Tuesday with the following accumulations: 2-8pm (2.29”) 8pm-2am (1.17”); 2am-8am (.068”). Heavy winds will begin early this evening and continue throughout the night with the following prediction: 7pm-7am (40mph sustained winds and gusts up to 60mph) Winds will gradually die down after 7am tomorrow morning.

Shelters:
• Stonewall Jackson High School (8820 Rixlew Lane, Manassas) – no pets allowed at the shelter
• Dr. AJ Ferlazzo Building (15941 Donald Curtis Drive, Woodbridge) – This is a pet-friendly shelter. Pets may be brought to the shelter on a leash. They will be housed in kennels onsite. Pet owners will have access to the kennels and must bring pet supplies such as food and medication for their pets. They will be able to walk the pets and have easy access to their pets; pets will not be allowed in the common area of the shelter.
*Service animals are permitted in both shelters and will be allowed with the owner at all times and in all areas to provide the necessary service to the resident.

Closures:
Courts closed at 1pm today and will be closed tomorrow
Schools were closed today and will be closed tomorrow
Senior Day Program and Senior Centers are closed today and tomorrow
Absentee voting locations closed at 3pm today, no word yet for tomorrow
Prince William Health District locations closed today, no word yet for tomorrow
Prince William County government is on unscheduled leave tomorrow (County government offices are open, but employees may take leave if they feel it is unsafe to travel to work. There will probably be limited staff available.)
The Landfill remains open as long as it can operate safely. They typically adhere to the County government schedule. Trash companies are private entities that operate in the County. Therefore, it is up to the individual trash hauler whether or not they will pick up due to safety issues related to weather. It’s best to check with individual trash haulers.

General Safety:
Driving – Please remain off the roads as much as possible. If you must drive, please avoid standing water. Cars can stall in as little as 6” of standing water. Cars can float in as little as 12” of water. Water 2’ or more can wash a car away. So, please remember. If you see standing water “Turn around, don’t drown.”

Power Lines – With the wet grounds and high winds, there is a very strong likelihood of falling trees and downed power lines. Please remember to always assume the power line is live and stay away! Residents should dial the non-emergency number (703-792-6500) to report any downed power lines.

Stay inside during the storm as much as possible. The danger of falling trees and blowing debris causes potential personal risk.

Power Outages – Use battery-operated flashlights as needed (not candles). Be sure to have supply of batteries and a battery-operated weather radio for updates throughout the outage. Be sure to visit http://www.pwcgov.org for recommended list of items needed during an emergency. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. Do not bring generators into the house! Don’t use camp stoves or lanterns without ventilation. Never use stoves for heating. Any of these can cause deadly buildup of carbon monoxide. If using a space heater or kerosene heater, practice proper safety procedures.