As forecasts call for more cold so far this winter, the Camden County Board of Commissioners and the county Department of Public Safety are reminding residents about a program designed to assist eligible seniors with snow shoveling.
“The board of commissioners is grateful that we are able to offer this program to our senior residents who may not be able to remove snow from their sidewalks,” said Commissioner Jonathan Young, liaison to the Department of Public Safety. “This program is not meant to replace normal means of snow clearing, and should be treated as a last resort”
The snow removal hotline for seniors will be open for 24 hours following a minimum of 4 inches of snow accumulation. To be added to the list, residents can call (856) 783-4808, ext. 5035, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Calls to other extensions/emails will not be answered.
When leaving a voicemail during unstaffed hours, residents must include a full name, home address, age and a call-back number to confirm eligibility. Requirements are that the caller be at least 65 and/or physically disabled and the owner of a home, as well as a county resident. They cannot have a physically-abled person or persons under 65 in the same residence and they must have exhausted other attempts at obtaining snow removal.
“Once snowfall has completely stopped, crews will begin working during the hours of 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.,” explained Young. “Crews will only shovel the sidewalk and accessibility ramps in the front of the residence; they will not shovel driveways, remove snow from vehicles or salt walkways.”
Snow removal is based on location and not the order in which a call is received. There is no guaranteed time frame for help to arrive; it may take several days depending on call volume, number of crews, and the amount of snow accumulation.
In some cases, crews may not be able to respond to every residence. Commercial properties, rental properties or HOAs are not eligible. Requests do not carry over from one snow event to the next, and residents may not request placement in advance of an upcoming snowstorm.
Weather updates will be available at www.camdencounty.com
