As the northern part of Mississippi continues to experience the brunt of Winter Storm Fern, a shelter-in-place order has been put into effect in Oxford.
Mayor Robyn Tannehill informed residents on Sunday morning that the order had been instituted as a result of iced-over roads, downed power lines, fallen tree debris, and a majority of the city’s electrical circuits going out. As of early Sunday afternoon, Lafayette County, where Oxford is, was reporting a state-high 20,000-plus power outages. The city’s current conditions, per Tannehill, have made it difficult for utility workers to complete full restoration efforts.
“Winter Storm Fern has dealt our community a devastating blow, but I want you to know that your city crews have worked all night and are still going strong, and we will get through this together,” Tannehill said. “It looks dire right now, I know, but Oxford’s a community that takes care of each other and comes together when things are most challenging, and this challenge will be no different.
“Currently, according to our system, 11 of our 16 electrical circuits are out. We sustained major damage. Outages started at around 11:00 last night. Our three crews and five contractor crews worked until 2:30 a.m., when winds and trees falling made it too dangerous to continue.”
The mayor did deliver the good news that the city’s water treatment and production are up to speed, meaning residents still have access to drinking water, showers, and toilets. In addition, Tannehill noted that there is a group of city employees who are checking the city’s circuits to determine the exact issues, so crews can return to work on roadway clearances and power restoration.
“We currently have four senior employees who are writing out circuits to identify issues and to determine what the restoration effort will be. Once this assessment is done and roadways are cleared, restoration can begin,” Tannehill said. “Trees are still popping, and limbs and trees are still falling, and freezing rain is still coming down. There are power lines down all over town. Please assume that every line is hot. Please do not touch any downed power line.”
In the meantime, residents are urged to remain in their homes. Some street crews are clearing major roads for emergency vehicles only. For those in need of a warming center, the Oxford Police Department is open for those in need. The city is also working on opening larger facilities to accommodate more people.
“It’s going to be a long road, but we won’t stop until every citizen is taken care of and all of our services have been restored,” Tannehill said.