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Crews Prepare For First Major Winter Storm Of Year

NEWTON (CBS) - It's all about snow preparation right now for cities and towns in Massachusetts. It means trucks are already out treating the roads in anticipation of not one, but two storms in the next 72 hours.

READ: Major Winter Storm Could Bring A Foot Of Snow

"We knew it was coming eventually," said Shane Mark, the Newton DPW Director of Streets. "We're only half way through winter so we're doing the best job we can to prepare."

Brine trucks are being filled, and it's been awhile since front end loaders have dug into salt piles that have been largely untouched this winter.

In the city of Framingham crews Thursday were mounting the blades on the plows and the DPW isn't just preparing for the snowfall. "It's going to be a long weekend and we're as concerned about the arctic freeze at the end of the event Sunday as we are accumulations in totals," said Daniel Nau, Framingham's Director of Highway and Sanitation.

WBZ-TV's Kristina Rex reports

It is the first big snowfall of the season, and with a delayed start to winter weather there's been plenty of procrastinators. It's why Norfolk Power Equipment in Wrentham is getting a last minute rush to repair snow blowers. "We're getting them done as fast as we can. We shifted everyone to get that done as quickly as possible," said Brian Coulter.

The forecast of a prolonged wintry mix can be hard on the machines, and also hard on snow budgets. "We've still got two months left. We're praying that the snow gods will bless us and this is the last of it," said Shane Mark.

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