Search and Rescue Called to Help County; Snowplows Out in Full Force in City

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX) – Street crews are keeping busy trying to keep main roads plowed in the city, but the snow is falling so quickly that they have to re-plow the same streets instead of moving on to secondary roads.

In Twin Falls County, Search and Rescue has been called to assist the sheriff’s office help stranded motorists.

“When it’s falling this heavy we have to repeat plowing and icing,” said city of Twin Falls spokesman Joshua Palmer.

Members of the city’s Street Department have been working plows since 11 p.m. Tuesday, he said, and the Water Department had to step in to give crew members a break today.

“They basically have been operating like NASCAR,” Palmer said – some come in, others go out.

Besides the expected challenges caused by Mother Nature, Palmer said there haven’t been any unforeseen problems in the city. But, he said, the city has closed its offices and is encouraging people to stay off the roads as much as possible.

“Stay inside unless it’s an emergency,” Palmer said.

On the Twin Falls County side of things, the sheriff’s office also is asking drivers to stay off the roads. Crews are finding it difficult to keep the county roads cleared, and emergency crews have responded to enough slide-offs that the sheriff’s office has called in some additional help.

“Many county roads are drifting and becoming impassable,” spokeswoman Lori Stewart said in a prepared statement. “Twin Falls County Search and Rescue members have been activated to assist as the calls of slide-offs and stranded motorists continue to come in."