First Responders Grateful for Residents' Storm Caution

Morgantown area saw minimal accidents and incidents during recent winter storm.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 6:47pm

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First responders in Morgantown, West Virginia are expressing gratitude that residents heeded warnings and stayed off the roads during a recent winter storm, allowing emergency crews to focus on protective patrols and enabling road crews to work efficiently. The area saw significantly fewer accidents, motorist assists, and other weather-related incidents compared to a normal weekend.

Why it matters

The community's caution during the storm helped first responders and road crews manage the challenging conditions, demonstrating the importance of residents cooperating with weather warnings to ensure public safety. This highlights how a prepared and responsive community can lessen the burden on emergency services during severe weather events.

The details

Monongalia County Sheriff's Office reported only two accidents and two motorist assists during the storm, which they said was a very low number. MECCA 911 noted 11 vehicle accidents with minor injuries, 14 motorist assists, and a quieter than normal weekend overall. Westover Police had 2-3 minor incidents but no accidents, while Morgantown Police responded to 151 calls with just 4 accidents. The Morgantown Fire Department saw no motor vehicle accidents in their 15 calls. Mon EMS responded to 4 crashes and 6 falls, with most calls being for medical issues like illness, breathing problems, and psychiatric emergencies.

  • The winter storm, named 'Winter Storm Fern', hit the area over the weekend of January 25-27, 2026.

The players

Monongalia County Sheriff's Office

The county law enforcement agency that reported very low numbers of accidents and motorist assists during the storm.

MECCA 911

The emergency dispatch center for Monongalia County that noted a quieter than normal weekend in terms of weather-related calls.

Westover Police Department

The police department for the city of Westover, which reported only 2-3 minor incidents but no accidents during the storm.

Morgantown Police Department

The police department for the city of Morgantown, which responded to 151 calls with just 4 accidents over the storm weekend.

Morgantown Fire Department

The fire department for the city of Morgantown, which responded to 15 calls with no motor vehicle accidents.

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What they’re saying

“Winter Storm Fern brought the snow, but you brought the cooperation. Our deputies responded to only two accidents and two motorist assists – numbers we'd be happy with in the middle of summer.”

— Monongalia County Sheriff's Office

“It was actually quieter than normal for a weekend. We've had 11 vehicle accidents since Saturday. Three of them had injuries, but it seemed like they were all minor. There were 14 calls for motorist assists – which are probably cars that just got hung up somewhere – two reports of wires down and three reported structure fires that turned out to be furnace issues.”

— Brad Wilson, MECCA 911 Deputy Director

“During this period, we investigated four motor vehicle accidents, made two DUI arrests, and assisted four motorists. Overall, call volume, particularly traffic-related incidents, was significantly lower than what we typically see on a normal weekend. This suggests, and we are happy to see, that many residents heeded warnings, exercised caution, and stayed off the roads during the storm, which greatly contributed to community safety.”

— Eric Powell, Morgantown Police Chief

“We are grateful to share that we saw no motor vehicle accidents during this period. From our perspective, our response calls show that residents took the weather warnings seriously and stayed indoors. We appreciate everyone's caution and cooperation over the weekend.”

— Gary Freshour, Morgantown Fire Department Chief

What’s next

With more winter weather potentially on the way, officials are hopeful residents will continue to heed warnings and stay off the roads when necessary to allow emergency crews and road crews to do their jobs effectively.

The takeaway

The community's preparedness and cooperation during the recent winter storm highlights the importance of residents heeding weather warnings, which can significantly reduce the burden on first responders and allow them to focus on critical public safety efforts. This serves as a model for how communities can work together to stay safe during severe weather events.