By Miles Layton

HERTFORD — As a powerful winter storm swept across Northeast North Carolina, first responders from multiple agencies worked around the clock to keep residents safe, limit travel hazards, and provide essential assistance, drawing praise from local leaders and officials for their dedication and cooperation.

To provide context for the amount of snow that fell across the region, the photo accompanying this story shows my oldest son, Robert Layton, holding a giant snowball in his front yard in Edenton.

Between Saturday at noon and Monday at 10 a.m., Perquimans-Gates 911 Communications processed 219 calls for service, according to Perquimans Emergency Management Director Jonathan Nixon. Despite the volume of calls, traffic-related incidents remained relatively low.

Nixon said wrecks said their automatic crash notifications/motorists assists totals were extremely low: — Perquimans – 7; Gates – 4.  He credited both emergency crews and residents for helping reduce the number of accidents during the storm.

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While Ocean Highway and Belvidere Road are clear and many of the secondary roads are clear, there still remain icy spots on secondary roads in Perquimans County and Towns, Nixon said. 

“Hopefully, Tuesday’s sun and rising temperatures will help complete the road clearing,” Nixon said.

Nixon emphasized that public cooperation played a major role in keeping roadways safer.

“We are very pleased that the public heeded warnings from Emergency Management in both counties and limited travel, giving NC DOT and Towns time to clear the roads,” he said.

According to the latest forecast, light rain is expected on Wednesday afternoon, followed by mostly cloudy conditions on Thursday. Sunshine is anticipated later in the week, with highs ranging from the upper 30s to low 40s through the weekend. While conditions improved as temperatures rose, emergency officials continued monitoring potential weather impacts.

“The Perquimans Emergency Operations Center is monitoring forecasts for possible light accumulation of snow Wednesday night into Thursday,” Nixon said.

Meanwhile, in Chowan County, Edenton Police Chief David LaFon publicly recognized the extraordinary efforts of his department’s officers during the storm.

“Due to the recent snow event, I want to take a moment to sincerely thank the dedicated officers of the Edenton Police Department for their selfless service to our community,” LaFon said.

As weather conditions deteriorated, many officers made personal sacrifices to ensure continuous coverage.

“As the weather worsened, many of our officers chose to sleep at the police department so they could remain available to serve, while at the same time juggling the responsibility of caring for their own families at home,” LaFon said. “Despite those personal challenges, they stepped up without hesitation.”

LaFon described how officers went beyond traditional law enforcement duties to meet residents’ needs.

“Our officers gave rides to residents who needed help getting where they had to go, assisted other town departments with calls for service, ensured food reached those who were unable to cook for themselves and time after time, stepped up to aid anyone in need,” he said. “These actions go far beyond the call of duty. They reflect the heart, compassion and commitment of the EPD.”

He added, “I am incredibly proud of their willingness to put others first and serve with professionalism and care, even in challenging circumstances.”

The Edenton Police Department also worked closely with partner agencies throughout the storm, a collaboration LaFon said was essential to the community’s safety.

“I also want to thank our partner agencies for their outstanding cooperation and teamwork during this event, including the Chowan County Sheriff’s Department, Edenton Fire Department, Chowan County Emergency Management, Chowan County EMS, N.C. State Highway Patrol and the N.C. National Guard,” LaFon said.

He highlighted the importance of dispatchers in coordinating emergency response.

“This response would not have been possible without the invaluable work of Chowan Emergency Communications,” LaFon said. “Our dispatchers so often serve as the first first responders, calmly coordinating help when our community needs it most.”

LaFon closed his statement by thanking residents for their trust and support.

“Thank you for your sacrifice, teamwork and dedication, and thank you to the citizens of Edenton for your continued trust and support,” he said. “Stay safe, Edenton!”

The Chowan County Sheriff’s Office also remained fully operational throughout the storm, which was described as a powerful Nor’easter “bomb cyclone” that brought record snowfall and intense winds to the region.

According to a statement posted on social media, deputies maintained emergency response efforts from the onset of the storm on Saturday, Jan. 31, through the worst conditions.

Despite hazardous roads and limited visibility, deputies responded to 30 calls for service, including six vehicle crashes and two reports of disabled vehicles. Officials said most incidents were related to slick roadways and reduced traction caused by snow and ice.

During the storm, the Sheriff’s Office emphasized coordination with other agencies, including Chowan County Emergency Services, Emergency Management, the Edenton Police Department, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the Edenton Fire Department, and the Crossroads Fire Department.

Officials said this cooperation was critical in preventing injuries and maintaining public safety.

“The positive cooperation and clear communication is part of the reason residents and visitors of Chowan County fared so well during this recent snow storm,” the Sheriff’s Office stated.

Sheriff Edward “Scooter” Basnight also expressed gratitude to fellow first responders and community members.

“We extend our sincere thanks to all of these agencies for their tireless efforts over the past several days,” the statement said. “Our gratitude also goes out to community members who responsibly chose to stay off the roadways during the storm.”