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Participating in exercises that improve coordination across departments and between <br />responding agencies for any sort of critical incident <br />3.2b. - EMERGENCY OPERATIONS POLICIES <br />Checking Weather and Other Hazardous Conditions <br />Cabarrus County Transportation Service has in place Operations Policies that address responding <br />to emergencies. Particular attention is given to the following issues: <br />At Cabarrus County Transportation Service, management is responsible for checking weather <br />and other reports to ensure it is safe to send vehicles on the road. This designated individual <br />checks this information before each shift and at appropriate intervals, especially if severe <br />weather is expected. Drivers performing their routes continuously assess road conditions, <br />evaluating weather, construction, accidents, and other situations to ensure it is safe to proceed. <br />Every effort is made to avoid sending drivers on routes if it is unsafe to do so. However, if a <br />condition arises requiring a driver to abort a route, the dispatcher will contact the driver (or the <br />driver will alert the dispatcher), and the dispatcher will provide instructions on how to proceed. <br />Cabarrus County Transportation Service uses National Weather Service warnings, forecasts, and <br />advisories available at www.weather.eov, and weather mdios monitored at dispatch site to track <br />real-time information on the following conditions: <br />• Hazardous weather outlooks <br />• Special weather statements <br />• Winter storm watches <br />• Winter storm warnings <br />• Snow and blowing snow advisories <br />• Winter weather advisories <br />• Heavy freezing spray warnings <br />• Dense fog warnings <br />• Fire weather forecasts <br />• High wind warnings <br />• High wind watches <br />• Wind advisories <br />• Gale warnings <br />• Tomado watches and warnings <br />• Hurricanes <br />• Flood warnings <br />• Flood statements <br />• Coastal flood statements <br />Cabarrus County Transportation Service also maintains a dispatcher log, a narrative description <br />of what occurs during each shift. This enables the incoming dispatcher to read the previous shift <br />log and know what needs to be tracked, problem areas of concern, or what is going right and <br />wrong. <br />Aborting or Changing Route Due to a Hazard <br />To the extent possible, Cabarrus County Transportation Service avoids sending vehicles out in <br />conditions that might pose a hazard. It is the responsibility of the management to check weather <br />and other relevant conditions at the beginning of a shift, and on an ongoing basis, to safeguard <br />the wellbeing of passengers, employees, and others. If a hazard is encountered that causes it to be <br />unsafe to continue on a route, agency policy is as follows: <br />Aftchmenl number 5 \n <br />F-5 Page 332 <br />