Emergency Operations Center activates as storm approaches Union County

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — A state of emergency has been declared in Union County as officials prepare for an impending storm.

Effective measures include opening the Emergency Operations Center and granting Sheriff’s deputies the authority to ticket drivers ignoring road barricades.

The state of emergency is in place to enable a coordinated response across various agencies. Starting Saturday morning, the Emergency Operations Center will activate to manage storm-related emergencies and ensure public safety.

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Monroe Police are equipping their patrol cars with tire chains to improve response capabilities during the storm.

Lt. Morgan Malone from the Monroe Police Department emphasized the importance of community cooperation.

“The app will be monitored, so if it’s something that the tree is down and it’s not causing an emergency right then and there, they can also send it to us there, and we can have an officer check it out,” Malone explained.

In addition to police preparations, the Monroe Fire Department has been busy getting chainsaws ready for possible emergency calls stemming from fallen trees and related hazards.

Fire crews are committed to responding quickly to any incidents that arise from the storm’s impact.

The city of Monroe is also taking proactive measures by pretreating roads, major thoroughfares, and emergency response routes to minimize hazardous driving conditions.

This effort is part of a larger strategy to ensure public safety as the storm approaches.

With the declaration of a state of emergency, Lt. Matthew Winfrey from the Union County Sheriff’s Office indicated that their personnel stand ready to assist with managing road conditions.

“If they get overwhelmed, our sheriff’s officer personnel will have barricades, and we’ll be going on blocking those roadways,” Winfrey said, urging residents to stay off the roads if possible.

Residents are encouraged to sign up for UC alerts, which will provide emergency notifications directly to their phones.

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