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Officer: ‘This Is One Of The Worst Winters I Can Remember’

Posted at 11:30 PM, Jan 05, 2014
and last updated 2014-01-05 23:54:51-05

SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. – As several inches of snow and fierce winds blow into West Michigan, South Haven is expected to be one of the hardest hit areas.

The plow trucks are salted up and ready for a busy Monday morning. Crews haven’t been out on the roads since Sunday afternoon and won’t be back out until 2 a.m.

“This is one of the worst winters I can remember,” said officer Chris Mersman, with the South Haven Police Department. “The plows are having a tough time getting around …emergency crews are having a tough time because of the roads.”

And, with temperatures expected to fall below zero degrees, Mersman said things will only get worse.

“It will be so cold that animals will be freezing and the roads will be nearly impassable by then,” he said.

Armed with 4-wheel drive, Mayor Robert Burr, took FOX 17 on a tour of his snow-covered city.

Burr said it’s been about four years since they’ve had a storm of this degree, and it created for a lonely drive, as not even so much as a plow truck was out on the roads.

“We have 27 miles of roads and we have virtually plowed all of the roads at least once or twice throughout the day,…we’re simply sitting back ,waiting for the storm to peak,” Mayor Burr said.

Rescue crews are there if you need them, though. Mersma said they’re patrolling the streets looking for people who may be in need of help.

“If you don’t have to venture out make sure you have a full tank of gas, your cellphone is charged and have an emergency kit in your car,” Mersma said.