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Amador County prepares for downed power lines, snow covered roads

Foothills communities prepare for snow levels to drop
Foothills communities prepare for snow levels to drop 02:36

PINE GROVE - Winter storm preps have been underway along Highway 88.

"This type of weather brings all kinds of things," said Amador Fire public information officer Kayla Dale.

CBS13 spent the day traveling along Highway 88. It started with rain, then hail, then snow. Amador Fire has been prepping for this storm for the last week and Dale says it's been all hands on deck

"Just to kind of help with the calls, we see all types of calls with downed power lines and traffic accidents and everything in between," Dale said.

Amador Fire said downed power lines might disconnect you from being able to call 911 and recommends taking this time to make an emergency plan with neighbors.

"The roads closed up above so that's why we're really slow," says Cook's Station employee Donna McDaniel.

Highway 88 is closed at Carson Spur on Friday afternoon. McDaniel says she usually sees about 50 people coming through the restaurant cook's station on a normal basis, but Friday was different.

"You're number nine, he's number 10," McDaniel said about CBS13's crew.

"Manning the station right now for chain control making sure everyone is driving safely," said Pine Grove Caltrans worker Mike Cornelius.

The snow plows and Caltrans are working together to make the roads safer for the people who live here.

"I'm used to it," says Pine Grove resident Jacqueline Henss.

She pulled over to put cables on her car, she said the only reason she was traveling in these conditions was for a funeral.

"Don't go out in it, especially people who aren't used to it. I am I'm careful I go slow," says Henss.

Caltrans says they follow the snow so the lower elevation the snow starts to come down is where they set up for chain control. As the snow level drops so does the chain control station. 

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