Emergency response times in Pittsburgh area will be slower during major snowstorm, officials warn

First responders are gearing up for the major snowstorm barrelling toward the Pittsburgh area this weekend. 

Fire, police, and EMS crews have been planning and are ready to support each other. Common calls for this weekend's weather will include slips and falls, and overexertion from shoveling snow. First responders say response times will be slower than normal.

"We can't help if we don't get there. So, we have to do it in a safe enough fashion to get there as fast as we can," Shaler Hampton EMS Chief Eric Schmidt said on Tuesday.

The same goes for the police. The emergencies officers are most likely to respond to are traffic calls, crashes and stuck vehicles. If that happens, call 911.

"With the GPS tracking on the calls, they might be able to find you even if you don't know exactly where you are, especially from a cell phone," Shaler Police Chief Sean Frank said.

First responders say to use the car as a shelter and keep the exhaust clear during an emergency. In more populated areas, the hope is that crews can respond urgently.

"We are in a pretty urban environment, so that helps to get to you pretty quickly," Chief Schmidt said.

Topography will be one of the biggest challenges in this weekend's weather. Just about every community has hills, turns and roads that pose challenges.

"Every roadway here is different. We have hills, we have curves. Our officers are all aware of the road conditions," Chief Frank said.

If you must be out on the roads, experts say to bring blankets, salt, food, water, chargers, and first aid kits.