As temperatures drop, Butler County agencies prepare for winter

BUTLER, Pa. — With snow in the forecast and temperatures in the teens and low 20s, Channel 11 checked in with multiple agencies on Monday to see what they are doing to prepare for wintry weather.

The Grace Community Wellness Center on East Diamond Street has opened its warming center for the season, offering cots, pillows, blankets, and hot food and drinks.

Visitors also have access to showers and laundry. It’s open every night from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., but you must have a voucher to get in. Those are available at Catholic Charities or the Center for Community Resources.

Organizers said they could see an uptick in demand with temperatures falling.

“There is a need out there, and we’re just happy that we can help,” David Baynes said, the program manager for Glade Run Lutheran Services.

PennDOT is also ready to go, including 13 dozen plow trucks designated for District 10, along with lots of other crews and plenty of materials. Officials said there’s a lot of preparation that goes into getting ready for the first official snowfall of the season, but it really varies by region and county, especially when it comes to salt and other materials.

“Butler County, specifically, they have 10 stockpiles throughout the county. Each stockpile has an allotted number of operators, an allotted number of plows,” Tina Gibbs said, the community relations coordinator for PennDOT District 10. “We can use salt, we can use salt brine, which is salt and a mixture of water, we can use anti-skid.”

PennDOT reminds drivers to check for road closures and updates using 511.

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