Township Weathers Blizzard of ‘16

A look up DeMott Lane, early in the afternoon of Jan. 23.

There were no reported injuries in 14 automobile crashes reported Jan. 23, during the Blizzard of 2016.

The storm, which began late in the evening of Jan. 22, was expected to drop between 25 and 30 inches of snow on the township.

As of about 9 p.m. Jan. 23, the storm had dropped an average of 17 inches of snow in the township, according to the National Weather Service.

In addition to responding to the crashes, township police handled 44 disabled vehicles during the day, said police spokesman Sgt. Philip Rizzo.

Rizzo said that although there were seven activated fire alarms and one reported smoke call in Franklin, there were no actual fires.

Public Service Electric & Gas reported no power outages in the township during the day.

That National Weather Service had initially established a blizzard alert for up to 10 a.m. Jan. 25, but later revised that to 6 a.m.

Rizzo said fire and EMS personnel were in place at their respective stations, and that the Department of Public Works continues to work to clear the roads.

“Obviously the track of the storm raised the snow totals a bit more than were initially predicted,” he said.

How the snow will affect roads in the township will be an “important consideration” in whether schools open on Jan. 25, said Board of Education president Ed Potosnak.

“I think school properties will be clear,” he said adding that opening schools depends on the conditions of roads.

“It’s a big storm so there are many factors, the roads are a big one,” he said.

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