January 28 Winter Weather Update

Nashville Winter Weather Response Update Videos

The Nashville Office of Emergency Management (OEM), in partnership with the Nashville Fire Department (NFD), Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) and the Department of Emergency Communications (DEC), continue to provide safe transportation to area Warming Locations as the area continues to have numerous power outages and freezing temperatures.

This coordinated effort helps ensure individuals who may be at risk due to cold weather conditions can have reliable transportation. The service is available to residents who want transportation to one of the warming locations within Davidson County.

To request transportation call 615-401-1712. DEC personnel answering the hotline have access to interpreters so anyone, regardless of the language they speak, can request assistance getting to a warm, safe location.

Please be prepared to provide this information:

• Your name
• Your current location
• The number of people needing transportation
• Are there special needs or mobility concerns?
• Do you have pets? (pets are allowed for transportation)

Since the transportation hotline started on Sunday personnel from the Nashville Fire Department and the Metro Nashville Police Department have provided more than 420 transportations.

OEM is using Wireless Emergency Alerts to share important information about shelter locations. The community may continue to receive additional alerts as this event continues or when conditions change. These alerts matter and are meant to reach as many people as possible, so please do not disable them.

Warming Locations

Clients on Monday overnight

• Southeast Community Center: 63
• Madison Community Center: 71
• Fairgrounds Location: 305

Clients on Tuesday Overnight

• Southeast Community Center: 80
• Madison Community Center: 60
• Fairgrounds Location: 450

Metro Public Health is providing nurses and mental health professionals to provide services at the Fairgrounds location.

Nashville Humane Association is providing pet support at shelters.

Warming locations are at all Nashville Fire Stations and Metro Nashville Police Precincts, except for the Central Precinct and East Precinct, for residents affected by the current cold weather.

• All Nashville Fire Stations are available as safe warming spots. The Nashville Fire Department operates 39 Fire Stations across Davidson County.
• Metro Police Precincts are available to the public for warming. These include North, West, Hermitage, Madison, South, Midtown Hills, and Southeast precincts. Please note the Central Precinct and East Precinct are NOT available as a warming shelter.

These locations will be open 24/7 until further notice.

The Nashville Fire Department is operating a location staffed by NFD personnel, adding an additional warming location with 24/7 availability.

• Southeast Regional Community Center: 5260 Hickory Hollow Parkway, Suite 202, Antioch, TN 37013
• Madison Community Center: 550 N Dupont Avenue, Madison, TN 37115
• Nashville Fairgrounds: 401 Wingrove Street, Nashville, TN 37203
• Margaret Allen Middle School: 500 Spence Lane, Nashville, TN 37210 (operated by the Nashville Fire Department and personnel)

Pets are allowed to be brought to the locations. You are requested to bring a crate for your pet.

Transportation requests will be handled as resources allow, with priority given to those most vulnerable to extreme cold.

Nashville OEM encourages community members to check on neighbors, family members, and others who may need assistance during cold weather events.

Nashville Office of Homeless Services

January 27 OHS Night Emergency Overflow

• 385 people for overnight sheltering
• 385 Hot meals, warm cots
• 12 Pets
• Bus passes distributed
• Onsite medical and behavioral health triage

January 28 Midday report

Utilizing a shelter in place model

• 148 people served during the day
• 148 Hot lunches served
• 6 Pets
• Onsite medical triage
• Transportation to the primary shelters
• Meals provided by Mercy Chief and World Central Kitchen

Ongoing Operational Events

• Additional security was secured for expanded capacity and demand of running two shelters.
• OEM secured overflow/ additional space to hold 120 individuals.
• MNPD provided rides for staff.
• OHS covered lodging for staff.
• Encouraging people to go to the primary shelters listed below as the first shelter option.
• Daily calls with Room in The Inn and the Nashville Rescue Mission to triage and monitor daily capacity needs.
• Provided transportation to the primary shelter, Nashville Rescue Mission
• Seeking additional kennels to accommodate pets.

Metro Overflow Shelter will operate on extended hours:

Thursday, January 29 - The shelter will operate on extended hours, remaining open for 24 hours

OHS along with other Metro Departments are preparing for a week of low temperatures.

We are closely monitoring the weather and final decisions are made by noon the prior day with a text alert at 9:00 a.m. on the opening day.

We will continue to closely monitor the temperatures over the next 7 days.

Please encourage individuals to continue to utilize the primary shelters until they reach full capacity. OHS will closely coordinate with local primary emergency shelters to make adjustments and transportation arrangements as needed.

Metro Emergency Shelter operates as an overflow shelter; please continue to use the regular Emergency Shelter options at Room In the Inn and Nashville Rescue Mission. Cold Patrol and Outreach Teams make every attempt to deliver people to the primary shelter options prior to utilizing the Metro Overflow Shelter. When transporting people to the Metro building, ensure people actually enter the building prior to driving away.

Launch Pad Emergency Shelter provides shelter for unstably housed young adults 18-24 in an LGBTQ+ affirming atmosphere. Details about hours, locations, and procedures will be provided to young adults via email upon sign-up through the Launch Pad website.

Text the word OHSALERT to 888-777. We will text you each time Metro opens the shelter.

Call 615-862-6391.

Visit the websites below and other social media platforms: Nashville.gov/homeless

WeGo Central

Please arrive at WeGo at 6:30 p.m. Folks downtown can catch the #23B bus to the shelter from WeGo Central at 400 Charlotte Avenue People should go downstairs to the lower level at WeGo Central and wait at Bay 24 for the #23B bus. Both the number and letter are important: 2-3-B. We will partner with agencies to secure crates for animals, as all animals will need to be in a crate this year. Bus passes given out in the morning is good for All Day Rides.

Free Shuttle

The free shuttle will pick up at the stops outlined in the attachments. Please note: we are operating a pilot program with additional stops at the Madison Co-op.

Metro Social Services

For weather related concerns regarding seniors and disabled: 615-862-6432

Food delivery

Delivered 315 Snow Meals (boxes of non-perishable food items that do not require electricity to prepare) to the Nashville Fairgrounds shelter Wednesday morning. The very limited food provision is for those seeking shelter at the Fairgrounds to supplement the current food supply at that site.

Welfare Checks

Identified designated personnel to specifically conduct welfare checks on seniors and disabled with whom we and/or loved ones have lost communication with. Heightened response to those we know are without electricity.

Monitoring our Office Phone Lines and Email

44 calls and emails received

Despite being closed due to inclement weather, that has not stopped those in need from calling our office, requesting help for themselves and their elderly and disabled loved ones. We've designated staff to monitor the phone lines. They are fielding and logging varying needs requests. As these requests are being logged, personnel is engaged in contacting the appropriate agencies and personnel to assist the resident if needed. This resulted in:

• 14 welfare calls made at the request of those outside of the city and Tennessee or those in town who were concerned for their elderly or disabled loved one.
• Three (3) requests for food

Welfare Calls

258 conducted

Our Social Worker Associates and Home Ambassadors resumed conducting daily welfare calls to their assigned clients, checking on them to determine - if they still have enough food, is their power on, would they like to get to a warming shelter, do they have an urgent or emergent medical need, etc. These welfare calls have resulted in the following actions:

• We provided transportation for one (1) elderly clients to the city's warming shelters

MSS Leadership Coordination Meetings

Our leadership team continues to meet daily (multiple times in the day) and communicate as we assess this very fluid situation. In doing so, we are keeping our coordination and response to residents' needs tight and active. Additionally, our leadership, particularly Executive Director Renée Pratt, remains in communication with city leadership, primarily the Office of Emergency Management, as we respond to the critical needs of Nashville's most vulnerable.

Food Distribution Information

Winter weather has created ongoing challenges for families across the region. Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) and Emergency Management partners are coordinating closely with community organizations, including Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee to have access to food.

Neighbors looking for food assistance can find nearby food pantries and distribution sites by visiting Second Harvest.

Weather conditions may impact hours of operations. Neighbors are strongly encouraged to call the pantry or distribution site ahead of time to confirm hours before traveling.

Metro Nashville Government Operations

Many of Metro Nashville's offices will be open on Thursday. However, due to weather impacts on roads and staffing some offices may be working remotely.

If you have in-person business with the Metro Department, contact the department first to determine if they are open or if they are working remotely.

General Sessions Court

All civil dockets, all jail dockets, traffic school and Night Court will be open Thursday and Friday.

After consultation with other stakeholders, the criminal bond settlement dockets in Courtrooms 4C, 5C and 5D will be closed both days.

Davidson County Clerk's Office

The Davidson County Clerk's Main Office will be open Wednesday, January 28 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

All branch offices will be closed.

Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS)

Metro Nashville Public Schools will remain closed on Thursday of this week due to the weather.

Update from Nashville Electric Service (NES)

NES teams continue to make repairs and restore power to customers following the freezing rain and ice that impacted the NES service territory. Up to this point, NES lineworkers have restored power to 113,000 customers. NES and contracted lineworkers will continue operations in rotations, and they will remain on extended 14-16 hour shifts to ensure we can continue responding quickly.

Right now

• there are about 117,000 customers currently without power
• at least 360 broken poles have been reported across our service area

As of Wednesday NES deployed more than 930 lineworkers to continue restoration efforts and help our customers. NES currently has lineworkers from Florida, Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Mississippi, Indiana and Tennessee in the field. Additionally, 215 vegetation management team members as well as supplemental contract teams have been deployed to complement restoration efforts and ensure lineworkers can continue reaching their sites efficiently.

There are currently many areas with outages of 1,000 customers or more, including:

• Nashville / Bellevue
• Cane Ridge
• Brentwood
• Forest Hills
• North Nashville / Brick Church
• Hendersonville
• South Nashville / Edgehill / Elysian Fields
• East Nashville / Rosebank
• Whites Creek and Joelton
• Donelson
• Antioch

NES restores power by tackling areas affecting the largest number of customers first. We understand being without power is difficult, especially when conditions outside are extreme. Regardless of where a customer lives, every customer is important, and our lineworkers are working hard to restore power to every last customer. No one will be forgotten or left behind; however, utility prioritization practices are to restore the greatest number of customers first.

While other companies have offered support, which is greatly appreciated, we have been able to grow our workforce with current contracts and mutual aid partnerships. Safely restoring power to all customers is always our top priority. In terms of utilizing outside crews, integrating new crews into a live electric system is challenging. We will not and cannot compromise safety. Linemen must be qualified, trained on our system, insured, and integrated into our safety and operations protocols. Mutual aid ensures crews meet those criteria.

NES asks that customers ensure their homes are ready to receive power. If weatherheads, power masts, or meter bases are damaged, our lineworkers cannot safely reconnect power. NES maintains and repairs the lines leading to a customer's home, but homeowners are responsible for the equipment on the house. If home equipment repairs need to be made, we strongly suggest contacting a licensed electrician for those repairs.

Along with city officials, NES also continues to ask for the community's help. If your power is out, do not call 911. We need to keep those lines open for emergencies. But if you see a downed power line, that is an emergency, so that is when it is appropriate to call 911. We ask that everyone stay away from downed power lines, and to always assume they are live and dangerous.

How to Stay Updated

• If you are without power, please report it by texting OUT to 637797 (NESPWR) from the phone number linked to your account, or by calling 615-234-0000.
• NES will share restoration information on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook throughout the event.

Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT)

Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT) crews continue working around the clock to clear Nashville roads, support emergency response and assist Nashville Electric Service (NES) with power restoration efforts by clearing obstructions and vegetation from impacted streets.

NDOT crews are currently working to clear trees, limbs and other vegetation from the right-of-way. Downed vegetation containing power lines MUST have lines removed by NES before it can be removed from roadways.

Portions of many secondary and post-secondary routes have been inaccessible due to downed trees and limbs. Once obstructions are removed, these roadways will be plowed and salted by NDOT crews.

Trees, limbs, and vegetation are being removed from roadways at hundreds of locations around the city. That vegetation will remain at the curb temporarily until it can be collected by brush crews.

Many residents have downed trees, limbs, and other vegetation on their property. As residents begin recovery efforts, they should move brush to the curb of their property. Do not block storm drains, culverts, or drainage ditches with brush.

NDOT will be adding supplemental countywide residential brush collection for brush that is at the curb. More information about dates will be available in the coming days.

In addition to the work described above, NDOT has 22 right-of-way inspectors deployed across the county evaluating infrastructure including signs, signals, delineators, speed cushions, sidewalks, bike lanes, pavement issues, potholes and any other damage they may encounter.

As a reminder, NDOT uses a comprehensive list of primary, secondary, and post-secondary snow removal routes to maximize efficiency and cover as much of the county as possible. Like last year, post-secondary routes will replace call-in requests, but reports can still be made to hubNashville and will be used for data gathering and evaluation to inform future winter weather response.

To report a non-emergency issue affecting a Metro Nashville street, visit hub.nashville.gov

WeGo

WeGo Public Transit will operate regular weekday service on Thursday, January 29. The WeGo Star and Star shuttles (routes 64 Star Downtown Shuttle and 93 Star West End Shuttle) will also run. All regional bus service will operate, but the Downtown Springfield Park and Ride on route 89 Springfield / Joelton will be closed.

WeGo Access and Access on Demand are also operating regular service on Thursday. Paratransit customers are advised to prepare for possible delays as drivers will be proceeding with caution through neighborhoods. If conditions are unsafe, affected customers will be notified. If customers have trouble reaching Access via phone, they are advised to email [email protected].

As road conditions change, WeGo may make further adjustments to its operating schedule. Riders are advised to check the WeGo weather alerts web page. Safety is our number one priority, so please be aware that there may be additional delays as bus operators are proceeding cautiously. Allow for additional travel time so we can help get you where you need to go safely.

Customers can check mobile real-time information on the Transit App, which can be downloaded in your app store. Follow WeGo Public Transit on social media (@WeGoTransit) and visit WeGoTransit.com for continuous updates.

Metro Codes Department

Offices are closed and all inspections will be rescheduled. Staff are monitoring phones and email remotely until further notice.

Nashville Waste Services

Nashville Waste Services (NWS) has suspended residential curbside collection for Thursday, January 29, as the department continues to evaluate hazardous road conditions along residential routes.

NWS supervisors will be in the field throughout the day Thursday to survey residential routes and determine the feasibility of resuming collection. These teams are identifying specific obstructions, including snow and ice, fallen trees, and downed power lines, that currently prevent heavy collection vehicles from navigating neighborhood streets safely.

Where conditions allow, NWS has resumed regular downtown collections and extended the convenience center fee waiver for residents through Saturday, February 7.

Convenience Centers

Fee Waiver extended through February 7

To provide some continued relief for residents affected by the winter storm, all Metro Nashville Convenience Centers will remain free of charge through Saturday, February 7. Residents may drop off household trash, recycling, and other regularly accepted items at no cost.

Centers will continue to operate on modified operating hours to ensure the safety of residents and staff:

Hours

8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Daily through Friday, January 30)

Locations

• East Convenience Center: 943 Richard G. Adams Drive
• Anderson Lane Convenient Center: 939A Anderson Lane, Madison
• Omohundro Convenience Center: 1019 Omohundro Place, Nashville
• Ezell Pike Convenience Center: 3254 Ezell Pike, Nashville

Stay Informed

For real-time updates regarding NWS operations, residents are encouraged to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

OEM Dispatch Calls

January 28, 10:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m.

• Salt: 2
• BDOT: 7
• Trees: 138
• Poles: 3
• Wires: 236
• Trees with wires: 97
• Transformers: 4
• Cold exposure calls: 4

January 27, 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

• Trees: 98
• Trees with wires: 51
• Wires: 233
• Salt: 3
• BDOT: 6
• Signals: 7
• NES Emergency: 6
• SCHSC: 6
• Gas: 4
• Animal Control: 6
• Water mains: 4
• TDOT: 11
• THELP: 1
• Miscellaneous: 27

January 27, 6:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

• Trees: 71
• Trees with wires: 154
• Wires: 600
• Salt: 15
• Signals: 13
• NES Emergency: 13
• Water mains: 29
• Animal Control: 5
• Cold exposure: 11

January 27, 10:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m.

• Trees: 44
• Trees with wires: 24
• Wires: 59
• Salt requests: 4
• Signals: 2
• Cold exposure calls: (unspecified number)
• MWS: 1 shutdown (Glendale Lane)

January 26, 2:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

• Trees: 214
• Trees with wires: 127
• Wires: 439
• Salt requests: 7
• Signals: 4
• Signs: 3
• NES Emergency: 15
• Cold exposure: 10
• Animal Control: 5
• Water mains: 16
• Gas: 9

January 26, 6:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

• Trees: 198
• Trees with wires: 116
• Wires: 648
• Salt requests: 10
• Signals: 6
• NES Emergency: 29
• Assists: 10
• Cold exposure: 12
• Water mains: 8
• Pending calls (various types): 3,704

January 26, 10:00 p.m. - 06:00 a.m.

• Trees: 138
• Trees with wires: 97
• Wires: 236
• Salt requests: 2
• Poles: 3
• Transformers: 4
• Cold exposure: 4

January 25, 10:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

• Trees: 104
• Salt requests: 11
• Wires and trees with wires (combined): 969
• Red Cross: 2

January 25, 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

• Trees: 137
• Trees with wires: 322
• Wires: 495
• Transformers: 16
• Poles: 18
• Water main breaks: 2
• Salt requests: 2
• Road closures: 1

January 24, 10:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m.

• Trees down: 41
• Trees with wires: 44
• Wires down: 109
• Salt requests: 4
• Road closures: 1
• Interstate closures: 1
• Transformers: 18
• Poles: 2

January 24, 6:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

• Signals: 4
• NDOT Parking: 1
• School Security: 10
• Salt: 10
• Animal Control: 16
• Fire: 4
• TDOT: 18
• Cold Patrol: 27
• BDOT: 12
• Assists: 5
• NES: 4
• Water: 2
• HM1: 1
• Cold exposure: 1

Department of Emergency Communications

DEC continues to process calls related to this weather event as well as unrelated emergencies occurring throughout the city. DEC continues to operate with additional staffing to support increased call volume.

Personnel from DEC continue to staff the transportation hotline and work alongside MNPD, NFD, and OEM to help Nashvillians reach designated locations for warmth and safety. Hotline staff have access to interpreters so anyone, regardless of the language they speak, can request assistance getting to a warm, safe location.

The community is reminded that they should only call 911 to report immediate threats to life, health, property, or public safety. This includes fires, serious medical emergencies, crashes with injuries, active crimes, or downed power lines. Using 911 appropriately keeps lines open for urgent needs and helps responders reach those who need help fastest. If you are unsure, call 911.

hubNashville is open 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. for calls to 311 and 24/7 at hub.nashville.gov and the hubNashville 311 app. Hold times have been longer than usual due to high call volume so use of the web/app options to submit requests are encouraged if possible.