TEMA updates on weather situation in Tennessee

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency has issued an update on the statewide repercussions from the latest winter weather. The State Emergency Operations Center in Nashville remains activated at a Level 3 – State of Emergency to support statewide coordination in response to Winter Storm Fern. TEMA has created a survey to self-report damages to homes as a result of Winter Storm Fern. Report your damages here. Restoring power remains the state's top priority, as prolonged cold temperatures continue to strain utility systems and slow restoration efforts across impacted regionsGov. Bill Lee announced he requested an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration for 23 impacted counties. ALERT Several Tennessee residents are receiving text messages, phone calls, and emails falsely claiming to be from TBI and 1-800-TBI-FIND as part of a suspected scam related to the recent winter storm. TBI will never ask for money or financial account information at the hotline.Hotlines Available: The TBI Hotline (1-800-TBI-FIND) remains active as a centralized, statewide resource for storm-related wellness check requests to help make contact with your loved ones. The Winter Weather Information is established to support Tennesseans impacted by Winter Storm Fern. 1-844-4TENN-4U (1-844-483-6648).Warming centers remain open in impacted areas. Emergency Service Coordinators (ESCs) from TDOT, TDEC, TDCI, TDH, THP, TN Department of Human Services, and more are monitoring the situation and standing by to provide assistance to local jurisdictions. Current Situation Very cold weather continues statewide for the next few days with dangerously cold wind chills. Overnight low temperatures will drop into the single digits to teens, with negative wind chills possible. Sunday highs will be in the mid-30s across most of the state to 20s in East Region. Scattered snow showers will taper off overnight Saturday into Sunday morning. These winter conditions continue to impact travel, infrastructure and recovery efforts across affected regions. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) continues to encourage individuals whose homes were impacted by Winter Storm Fern to complete the Self-Reporting Damage Assessment Survey. This survey is a critical tool to help assess statewide impacts and gather information necessary to validate damages resulting from Winter Storm Fern. Power restoration remains the State of Tennessee's number one priority. Additional National Guard personnel and forestry resources have been deployed to impacted areas to expedite cut-and-toss operations. As roads are cleared, teams are reassigned to locations still requiring assistance, enabling utility crews to safely access damaged poles and power lines and continue restoration efforts. Resources and assistance information are continuously added to TEMA's webpage as they become available, and the state remains committed to keeping the public informed throughout the response and recovery process. Power Outages As of 9 a.m. on Jan. 31, more than 55,000 customers are without power statewide. Lineworkers and other crews are working around the clock to restore power as quickly as possible. The public is reminded to stay clear of downed power lines and assume all lines are energized. Warming Centers Warming centers are locally managed, and availability varies by location. Residents should visit TEMA's interactive warming center map or contact their local Emergency Management Agency. TEMA maintains an interactive map of centers operating throughout the state. Please check the notes section on the map for each shelter, as hours of operation and other information may vary between locations. If you need assistance or have questions about shelters for your area, please contact your local Emergency Management Agency. TDOT Crews are continuing to support communities with winter weather impacts. This is astatewide, coordinated response, and every region is engaged. These figures help illustrate the scale of the effort: - 58,000 Equipment Hours - 116,00 Labor Hours - 83,000 Tons of Salt - 8 Million Gallons of Brine - 677,000+ Miles of Roadway Treated - 4,246+ Services Rendered to Motorists - 1,000+ Trees cleared It is suggested to avoid driving if possible. If not, you can check road conditions on the TDOT Smartway website. Tennessee National Guard Guardsmen are performing missions in 23 counties that includeCheatham, Chester, Clay, Davidson, Decatur, Dickson, Hardeman, Hardin, Henderson, Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Macon, Maury, McNairy, Perry, Robertson, Rutherford, Shelby, Sumner, Wayne, Williamson, and Wilson Counties. Many of these National Guard teams have partnered with their respective county Emergency Management Agencies and the U.S. and Tennessee Forestry Services to open roadways and restore power to Tennesseans. Tennessee Highway Patrol THP continues to respond to traffic crashes and provide assistance to stranded motorists. To date, troopers have assisted more than 1,600 motorists since the beginning of Winter Storm Fern. Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry has 146 personnel deployed statewide to support cut-and-toss operations. The Division has coordinated with TEMA to deploy additional personnel beyond the original resources provided in order to expedite debris clearance and power restoration efforts. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation The TBI Hotline, 1-800-TBI-FIND (1-800-824-3463), will be operational Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CT and is only intended to serve as a centralized, statewide resource for individuals seeking to report concerns that would normally prompt a wellness check. By directing these calls to the state level, local non-emergency public safety and emergency management agencies can focus on critical response and recovery efforts related to the storm. Members of the public are encouraged to call 1-800-TBI-FIND instead of contacting local non-emergency public safety offices or local emergency management agencies for wellness check requests during this weather event. To date, TBI has taken and closed 84 calls and redirected 45 calls to Metro Nashville. The line remains open to help connect loved ones while power and cell phone connectivity is down in some areas. Davidson County ExceptionAll welfare check requests for individuals located in Davidson County must be submitted through the county's online hub page and should not be directed to the TBI Hotline. Requests can be made at on Metro Nashville's webpage. Tennessee Department of Health Things to know about carbon monoxide poisoning: Many people rely on alternative power sources to keep their homes warm during power outages. Portable backup generators produce the odorless, colorless, poisonous gas carbon monoxide (CO). CO claims the lives of hundreds of people every year and makes thousands more ill. - Never use a generator inside your home or garage even with the windows and doors are open. - Only use generators outside, more than 20 feet away from your home, doors and windows. - Install battery-operated or battery backup carbon monoxide detectors near every sleeping area in your home. - Check carbon monoxide detectors regularly to be sure they are functioning properly. - For more information about CO poisoning prevention, visit Healthy Homes - Carbon Monoxide. Power outages can cause refrigerators and freezers to warm quickly, increasing the risk of foodborne illness. To keep food safe, keep cold foods at 41 degrees or below, keep doors shut, and when in doubt throw it out. The Tennessee Department of Health has confirmed 21 weather-related fatalities due to Winter Storm Fern: - One fatality in Cheatham - Three fatalities in Davidson - One fatality in Fayette - Two fatalities in Hardin - One fatality in Haywood - Two fatalities in Henderson - Two fatalities Hickman - One fatality in Knox - Two fatalities in Obion - Six fatalities in Shelby The Tennessee Department of Health has also confirmed one weather-related fatality due to the separate winter weather that began impacting East Tennessee yesterday, Friday, Jan. 30. - One fatality in Greene Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is reporting 27 drinking water systems with impacts. Residents should continue to monitor guidance from their local water system providers and remain alert for any protective actions that may be issued. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has created a real-time dashboard that lists all of the impacted water systems and any protective actions the water provider has issued.Other Infrastructure Commercial communications outages are occurring in some areas due to power loss and ice damage. Protective Actions and Key MessagesContact your local emergency management agency if you need immediate assistance. Residents should use extreme caution when heating homes during power outages. Never use generators, grills, or propane heaters indoors. Use space heaters safely and never leave them unattended.Use space heaters safely—keep them away from flammable materials and never leave them unattended.Conserve phone battery life when possible and keep devices charged for emergency communications.Residents relying on medical devices or refrigerated medications should plan ahead and contact healthcare providers or utilities if power disruptions pose a health risk.Monitor local news for updates on weather forecasts.Turn thermostats down to 68 degrees or lower to reduce energy consumption.Don't plug your generators into your home.Avoid unnecessary travel and limit time outdoors.Stay clear of downed power lines.Check on vulnerable neighbors.Rely on official sources such as TEMA, local EMAs, TDOT and utility providers.Report price gouging to the Attorney General's Division of Consumer Affairs on their website.Call STAR THP (*847) for assistance or emergencies on Tennessee highways.