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Henrico officials defend storm response as residents press for neighborhood fixes
Summary
County staff briefed the board and public on Winter Storm Fern operations, detailing 24-hour shifts, equipment damage, and outreach metrics; residents raised persistent concerns about neighborhood plowing, access for elderly residents and summer program capacity.
Henrico County officials outlined the scope of the government's response to Winter Storm Fern and pledged continued after-action review as residents urged faster neighborhood-level service.
Public Works Director Terrell Hughes told the Board of Supervisors that the county began preparing days before the event and mobilized contractors and 24-hour shifts, deploying heavy equipment and a 50/50 sand-salt mix when forecasts shifted from snow to freezing rain. "By Monday we were able to get through 44% of our county roads," Hughes said, adding crews prioritized emergency routes and reopening subdivision access so residents could get in and out.
The communications director described an intensive outreach campaign designed to keep residents informed. "Our Facebook page hit 3,200,000 impressions over the storm," the communications director said, contrasting that with a typical weekly number of about 180,000 impressions. The director said staff published FAQs and a feedback survey and invited residents to submit suggestions for improving notifications.
Fire Department leadership described unusual operational challenges for a largely junior workforce, and the difficulty of safely moving patients and crews on iced streets. The fire chief said crews recorded a peak day of 219 calls and totaled 292 fall-related calls over one week, and credited cross-department coordination for preserving public safety.
Several residents who spoke during public comment said that, despite county efforts, some subdivision streets remained impassable long after main roads cleared and that ice piles left at neighborhood entrances created barriers for elderly and mobility-impaired residents. "There are 17 houses on that block; my neighbor is blind," resident Rodney Bailey said, urging crews to clear street entrances after main-road plowing is complete. The county manager and staff said they would collect contact details for follow-up.
The county manager told the board that while some equipment and conditions limited what crews could do on compact ice, staff have begun debriefing and will recommend operational changes, tabletop exercises and potential equipment adjustments. The chief of emergency management asked the board to note that the local emergency declaration for the storm has been ended by formal resolution.
Next steps: county staff will complete an after-action review, solicit public feedback through the posted survey, and report back to the board with recommendations for any procedural or equipment changes.
