ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — City officials say emergency crews were called in Thursday to assist with ongoing preparations to keep major roads in Albuquerque open as the first major storm of 2024 has arrived in the metro and beyond.

City leaders addressed the various ways they are preparing for snow, ice, and freezing overnight temperatures in front of one of the so-called “salt domes” that house the salt they’ll be using on the roads.

In fact, the Department of Municipal Development can reportedly mobilize up to 40 dump trucks full of salt if it comes to that.

“We also know that there’s another storm coming in over the weekend,” said DMD Director Patrick Montoya. “We will be prepared for that.  Even though it’s the weekend, our crews are prepared to come in.”

In addition, the city recently unveiled a new overnight hotline to provide those in need with transportation to a shelter.  That emergency number is 505-549-0044.

There were also plenty of familiar warnings against trying to stay warm via certain dangerous methods.

“We also have some old-fashioned things that we used to do like use the stove to heat the house when it’s really cold,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “That can be very dangerous.”

Officials also made it a point to emphasize the additional services, including help with food insecurity, that are available to all residents and are simply one phone call away.

“We provide food boxes for individuals, and this is to the entire community should they need them,” said Gilbert Ramirez, director of Health, Housing, and Homelessness. “We have one in every quadrant of the city, and at any time someone can call 3-1-1.”

Meanwhile, local nonprofit organizations are staying busy across the city as we head into the weekend.

Volunteers with ASUR New Mexico spent their Thursday afternoon handing out things like blankets, clothing, and hand warmers to people gathered at the International District Library in Southeast Albuquerque.

“Our entire goal is to find them and then get them whatever services we can and bring them to a shelter if we can,” said ASUR executive director Christine Barber.

While the snow was indeed falling there early in the afternoon on Thursday, the temperature was still slightly above freezing.  But Barber worries about what happens overnight to those who don’t go to a shelter, as the temperatures drop even further.

“So, inevitably, a day like today will end up causing frostbite,” Barber said. “If we can catch it before it becomes frostbite and it’s just frostnip, we actually might be able to stop it.”