John Coffelt, Editor

Coffee County Emergency Management Agency is preparing for winter weather that could drop from four to eight inches of snow Friday, Jan. 9.

EMA Director Allen Lendley said his department receives detailed daily weather briefings from the National Weather Service.

“It goes more in depth than what your local television news would go into,” he said. “Currently, we’re looking at somewhere… between four inches to somewhere between seven or eight inches, depending on where you are in the county.”

“We’re getting everything prepared today for us to operate on a 24-hour basis throughout the storm,” Lendley said. “We’ve been in touch with all our counterparts, highway departments, utilities, fire, police EMS to make sure they are aware of the potential of a large snowfall.”

Lendley said this storm should not bring freezing rain, but with heavy snow deposits there is the potential for tree limbs to knock out power lines, and if the need arises, two warming shelters will be opened, one in Manchester at the Ada Wright Building and one in Tullahoma at D.W. Wilson Community Center.

He also advised the public to be prepared as much as possible with alternative heat sources or a generator.

“If it snows as much as they say it’s going to snow, travel is going to be treacherous,” Lendley said. “My advice is get what you need today and stay home and enjoy your family.” 

Lendley cautioned that additional travel can divert resources that could be used elsewhere in the storm.

“Be prepared, and be prepared for power outages,” he said. “Have some extra food and some alternate heat sources.”

Coffee County Highway Department announced the department is prepared with snowplows and salt trucks.

“We are fully prepared to address winter road conditions, with our plow and salt trucks at the ready,” the announcement said.  “We will initiate salting operations in key areas early Friday morning, and … will provide updates on road conditions throughout the weekend.”

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.