Dallas Officials: Protect People, Pets, Pipes, and Plants Ahead of Winter Storm 

Ladies and gentlemen, don’t start your engines. In a press conference Tuesday, officials from Dallas’ public safety, transportation, and housing and homelessness departments, among others, urged residents to stay off the roads if possible and protect people, pets, pipes, and plants during a winter storm that could bring up to four inches of snow between Thursday morning and Friday evening. 

About 50 participants from news outlets including The Weather Channel joined the virtual press briefing at noon on Tuesday. 

It’s About to Get Cold: What to do During a Freeze

Director of Emergency Management and Crisis Response Kevin Oden advised residents that their top priority should be to check on their loved ones, especially senior citizens who might have access or functional needs. 

“Second, please protect any exposed pipes from freezing by wrapping them and letting faucets drip to prevent any breaks,” he said. “We encourage residents where possible to bring pets indoors and provide adequate shelter. Finally, cover any plants that may be sensitive to freezing weather. We encourage all our residents to take the time to prepare now.” 

Virtual press conferences will continue through the weekend as needed, and updated information will be posted at DallasCityNews.net and on social media. 

Prepared for ‘Contingencies’

Oden and other officials said they are monitoring travel conditions in North Texas as it prepares to host tens of thousands of football fans on Friday for the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. Ohio State is set to play the Texas Longhorns for the semifinal playoff at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. The teams are set to arrive in Dallas on Wednesday and the game is set for a 6:30 p.m. Friday kickoff.

“We will continue collaborating with all our regional partners to ensure that impacts to any fans that are in town are kept minimal,” Oden said. 

In 2011, Super Bowl XLV held at AT&T Stadium faced major challenges when an unprecedented ice storm paralyzed North Texas in the days leading up to the event. Freezing rain and snow blanketed the region, causing widespread power outages, dangerous road conditions, and air travel disruptions. The icy weather also created a safety hazard at the stadium itself, as large sheets of ice slid off the roof, injuring several workers and fans.

Transportation

Director of Transportation Gus Khankarli said technicians are on standby to repair traffic signals in case of an outage. 

“These will be prioritized based on location and access to critical facilities,” he said. “We started treating the roadways and bridges yesterday […] We are getting crews ready to come in [Wednesday].”

Dallas Fire and Rescue officials are prepared to assist in salting roads, providing transportation to shelter, and removing downed trees. The Aviation Department has about 40,000 gallons of “de-icer,” on hand and eight snowplows are ready to deploy throughout Dallas if needed. About 12,000 gallons of “brine,” a sodium chloride solution, was used for Monday’s preparation and more will be produced throughout the week, officials said.

Emergency responders emphasized that non-emergency requests for service should be made to 3-1-1 rather than 9-1-1. 

Shelter for the Unhoused

Director of Homeless Solutions Christine Crossley said her office would post a list of frequently asked questions about temporary inclement weather shelters at Fair Park Grand Place and Oak Lawn United Methodist Church. 

“It is ADA-accessible,” she said. “If you cannot reach it on your own, we will come get you. Pets are not a barrier. We actually have four dogs at Fair Park and another two at Oak Lawn.”

As of Tuesday morning, about 855 people were at Fair Park and 53 at Oak Lawn United Methodist. If people refuse to come inside, cold weather packs that include hand warmers, hats, gloves, socks, and a Mylar blanket are available at identified recreation centers. 

Dallas Animal Services Director Paul Ramon said his team has responded to more than 350 calls since Sunday. 

“Owners are responsible for ensuring that the animals have the proper shelter, care, and necessities to stay warm if they’re not indoors, but I would insist that if you’re cold, they’re cold,” Ramon said. “If you have the capacity to do so, please bring your animals indoors.” 

Sanitation Pickup

Director of Sanitation Cliff Gillespie said crews will report to work on Thursday and Friday as conditions safely allow.

“Our supervisors will assess road conditions early each morning to determine whether solid waste collection operations can proceed safely,” he said. “At this time our customers on Thursday and Friday routes should assume that their garbage and recycling collections will occur as scheduled unless we announce otherwise. However, due to the potential weather and resource constraints, there may be delays or postponements. Routes serviced by automated trucks may be able to operate as planned while routes requiring manual labor could experience additional delays.”