Winter Weather Update: Breckinridge County Emergency Management

Winter Storm Update w/ Justin Frazier of Breckinridge County Emergency Management

[00:00] – Kevin Jaggers
With Breckinridge County Emergency Management, I have Justin Frazier on the phone. Justin, it’s been about a day since we last talked, so I wanted to check back in. I saw a post on your Facebook page where you mentioned one of your favorite parts of the job is getting to drive around and see the beautiful sights that make up Breckinridge County. That was really cool. What have you seen today?

[00:27] – Justin Frazier
I’ve seen a lot of vehicles off the side of the road, mostly because people are driving too fast for conditions. I’ve also seen some really beautiful scenery. We’ve got anywhere from six to nine inches of snow across the county, with some ice mixed in. It makes the terrain look incredible, but it also puts us behind when it comes to road clearing. Six to nine inches in about a 24-hour period is a major event for us.

[01:05] – Justin Frazier
Most of the vehicles we’ve responded to ended up in ditches because of harsh braking or accelerating too quickly. Overall, though, road conditions are improving, considering how much snow and sleet we received. Major state routes—Highway 60, Highway 86, portions of 79, and Highway 144—are either cleared, actively clearing, or have enough hard-packed snow to be passable.

That said, any sudden braking or acceleration will cause immediate loss of traction.

[01:45] – Justin Frazier
Intersections are still the slickest spots, especially overnight. Our crews are doing a good job clearing snow and ice from those areas, but Breckinridge County is very hilly. Slow down before curves and before descending hills—those are the areas where we’ve had to respond most often.

Tomorrow morning will be very slick. Even roads that look clear right now are likely to develop black ice as temperatures drop near zero.

[02:25] – Justin Frazier
One really positive thing I’ve seen is the community response. Neighbor groups and organizations are helping deliver firewood, fuel, and even assisting people with dialysis or other critical medical appointments. A lot of that coordination is happening at the grassroots level—by phone calls and social media—and it’s really Breckinridge County taking care of its own. It’s incredible to see.

[03:05] – Kevin Jaggers
That’s great to hear. Looking ahead to the rest of the week, some people may be heading out for the first time in a few days. What advice would you give them?

[03:15] – Justin Frazier
First, focus on getting safely in and out of your own property. That’s the hardest part. Once you can build some momentum and reach the hard-packed roads, most people will be okay if they take their time.

This snow is heavy and compacted—almost like concrete. Even ice-pick shovels struggle with it, so dig out as best you can.

If you live on one of the more than 650 miles of named roads in Breckinridge County, please be patient. We have four trucks capable of plowing and salting, and they’re working whenever conditions allow. Four trucks covering that much road takes time.

[04:10] – Kevin Jaggers
That’s a lot of road to cover. And we’ve also heard from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet that salt isn’t always effective in sub-zero temperatures and can sometimes make conditions worse.

[04:25] – Kevin Jaggers
Justin Frazier with Breckinridge County Emergency Management, thank you so much for the update. Please keep us posted as conditions change.

[04:35] – Justin Frazier
Thanks, Kevin. I appreciate it.

Winter Storm Update