Beginning late last week and continuing through the weekend, City of Sanford employees prepared for and responded to impacts from Winter Storm Fern.
Ahead of expected ice and freezing rain, Public Works crews pretreated key locations with salt, sand, and ice melt to help ensure safe access for first responders and emergency personnel. Starting Friday afternoon, crews focused on bridges, overpasses, hills, and other areas known to freeze quickly.
Salt, sand, and ice melt were applied to sidewalks and parking lots at the Sanford Municipal Center, Public Works Service Center, all four Sanford fire stations, and the City’s water and wastewater facilities. Pretreatment also included emergency entrances and parking areas at Central Carolina Hospital, surrounding streets such as Central Drive and Fields Drive, Central Carolina Enterprise Park, Kiwanis Family Park, and core downtown streets.
As the storm moved through the area, crews continued clearing and retreating sidewalks, parking lots, and roadways at regular intervals. When temperatures allowed partial thawing, plows were deployed to remove accumulated slush while minimizing damage to road surfaces. Crews also performed ongoing maintenance on emergency response equipment and replaced plow blades as needed to maintain full operational capacity.
Sanford’s first responders remained prepared throughout the storm. The Sanford Fire Department increased staffing to add a spare engine crew and ensure full coverage through the event, with three chief officers on standby. During the storm, firefighters responded to two traffic crashes, a fire alarm, and a reported structure fire. No injuries were reported from any incident.
The Sanford Police Department maintained patrol coverage throughout the storm, monitoring road conditions, assisting stranded motorists, and responding to storm-related incidents. Officers coordinated closely with Public Works and Fire personnel to address hazardous areas and support emergency response efforts.
To protect its greens from the extreme cold, the Sanford Municipal Golf Course’s maintenance team spent much of Friday afternoon covering them with thick black tarps that were then staked down. The process helps keep warmth at the root while also protecting against desiccation and other winter hazards. The greens will remain covered until temperatures return to a normal range for our area.
From 5 a.m. Saturday, January 24, 2026, through 7 a.m. Tuesday, January 27, 2026, Public Works crews applied a total of 72 tons of sand, 36 tons of salt, and 2,150 pounds of ice melt across the city.
Public Works deployed its Transportation, Facilities, Waste Services, Parks, and Grounds departments. TriRiver Water provided equipment and personnel as needed. The Sanford Fire Department up-staffed to 25 employees across four stations throughout the storm.