TRUMBULL CO., Ohio (WKBN) — First responders across the Valley are asking people to remain safe by respecting cones and barricades following the downed wires and tree limbs the storm on Saturday caused.
Storm damage from high winds the past two weekends forced emergency crews to close roads until debris could be cleaned up. But a number of fire departments across Trumbull County reported drivers were ignoring the road closed signs and driving past barricades blocking streets.
Emergency responders say they close roads for a reason, whether it’s for downed power lines, low-hanging lines or debris in the road that poses a hazard for motorists.
“If we are restricting access to a roadway, it’s not because we want to inconvenience you — we are doing that for your safety, and — frankly — for ours,” said Chief George Snyder with the Burghill Vernon fire department.
Snyder says one fire line was ripped down on three separate occasions.
“We put those that fire line, those cones, those barricades up … for public safety and because we got to go hit the next run for the next thing that is going on,” Snyder said.
He’s asking people to heed the closures, not ignore them.
