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After the blizzard of 2009, snow was left unmelted for nearly a week. Here is an example of left over snow drift outside of the gazette offices. It was reported that snow drifts were taller than an average sized man and that workers in Piedmont saw snow drifts going up to the base of stop signs. According to FEMA, nearly 14 inches of the white stuff were dropped over Central Oklahoma. For more pictures of the aftermath, see page 2A. Staff photo: Justin Langston
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Justin Langston
Staff Writer
After facing nearly 14 inches of snow, the people of Piedmont have managed to make it through a blizzard that FEMA says had “record setting snowfall.” Snow, which iced up the roads and was reported to have snow drifts taller than the average man, could still be seen almost a week later.
“I want to highly complement Tim Kudron for his imitative and unselfishness to clear the roads,” city manager Clark Williams said. “We just didn’t have the equipment to handle something like this.”
Beginning Thursday morning, record breaking snowfall dropped all over central Oklahoma, burying cities like Piedmont in huge blankets of snow, which disrupted plans and trapped people in their homes and editions with the terrible conditions outside.
Conditions were so bad that by Thursday night, Gov. Brad Henry declared a state of emergency.
However, the city of Piedmont began almost immediately to clear roads and dig out people who were stuck. According to Williams, the city has people clearing roads along with Kudron and his people.
During the cleaning, some of the city workers reported that they were dealing with snow drifts so tall they were up to the base of stop signs.
One of the problems faced by the community was that something like this, which is rare for a state like Oklahoma, was not planned for. Piedmont, along with several other Oklahoma cities, including Oklahoma City itself, did not have the equipment to properly clear the roads.
Still, workers have managed to get most of the roads clear. They even dug out Terrace Hills, where road conditions were so bad, no one could leave the subdivision.
The city is also organizing student athletes and Boy Scouts to help clear out the driveways of the elderly and infirmed in order to allow them to get out of their homes.
“We are attempting to help the elderly by digging out their driveways,” said Nancy Armstrong from Piedmont City Hall.
For more information on this, go to the city web site at www.piedmont-ok.gov or call 373-2621.
The city has also confirmed that it will continue to do trash pick up this Friday, weather permitting.
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