WILLOUGHBY HILLS, Ohio — Residents and emergency responders are on alert and closely monitoring the forecast for the potential for ice jams in the near future.
With the forecast ever-changing and temperatures swinging from bitterly cold to warmer next week, Willoughby Hills Fire is preparing for what may happen with the river.
"Having these temperatures still so cold, I think, is gonna make for a potentially dangerous situation here. We don't have a crystal ball, though so we are watching," Robert Gandee, Fire Chief of Willoughby Hills Fire Department, said.
While the ice jam threat occurs every year, typically around late winter, the danger of flooding and property damage is something Gandee and his team are working to avoid.
"The problem with the conditions on the river--they can change so quickly that even some times our early warning is not early enough. So ultimately, it's one of those situations where residents have to be mindful of the conditions of the river, watch the temperatures, look at conditions, take provisions to make sure that their items are safe," Gandee said.
Gandee says roughly 200 homes and nearby residents could be affected by the possibility of flooding and property damage in the next couple of weeks.
Right now, he says they are watching and waiting to see what happens with the ice buildup that is forming on the river.
"River ice is nothing to mess with. If we have someone that goes through the ice and gets swept underneath, we're not sending rescue divers after them. It's too risky even for our divers. Stay off the ice," Gandee said.
With so much moisture in the snow pack, he says, there's nowhere else for it to go.
It's causing clear flooding concerns for nearby homes and streets, and the current underneath is incredibly powerful.
"This ice is extremely strong and once it starts moving--talking with retired firefighters--they've seen it destroy trees. Just imagine what that will do to some peoples' houses or to people. So, that's why this is a big deal to our community. We wanna make sure people are prepared and people are ready," Gandee said.
While most residents have admittedly been through this ice jam situation before and experienced flooding and property damage, Gandee is encouraging everyone to stay alert and sign up for their emergency alert system.
Last year, they even put up signs to remind people to sign up for the Lake County Wireless Emergency Network System.
"We need to be prepared and by keeping everyone informed—we can work together on this," Gandee said.
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