BIDDEFORD, Maine — With the first major snowfall of 2024 set to strike Maine on Sunday, folks in the days before were getting prepared in anticipation of several inches of powdery snow expected to fall.
On Saturday, employees of Dupuis Hardware and Locksmith in Biddeford saw a rush of folks grabbing snow-day essentials: shovels, ice scrapers, road salt.
"Oh, and a lot of indoor projects, stuff to keep them busy while they wait out the storm," Stewart Dupuis, the store manager, added. "Finally good to get rid of some of the shovels and stuff that have been sitting because of the nice weather."
Even if you believe you have all the essentials you'll need for the storm, Dupuis said he wanted to reminded others to do a check-over to ensure everything is ready to go before the storm poses an issue.
"Just check the essentials. Make sure you've got everything you need," Dupuis said. "You don't wanna go out tomorrow, because it usually takes a couple storms for people to get their driving back into the snow mode."
The city's public works department said it was also working hard to get a head start before the storm.
Director Jeff Demers said Biddeford started preparing for this storm on Thursday. By Saturday, a handful of streets were already coated with salt.
Several communities in Maine have reported challenges with staffing ahead of the storm, but Demers said the shift to a four-day work week has left them a stacked crew ready to hit the pavement when the first snowflake falls.
"Got all the salters in, got the vehicles all fueled up, checked over," Demers said. "And when you're meeting a plow truck, try to be courteous because the entire plow equipment, the front blade, and the wing go up to the centerline of the road."
Demers said an issue he faces every year is making sure residents follow the parking ban, which was set to go into effect by 10 p.m. Saturday.