>> Afternoon everybody and thank you for joining our briefing today.

Well here we are again as North Carolina prepares for our second winter storm in a week.

We're looking at another round of snow sleet, freezing, rain and ice bringing more treacherous roads and power outages.

It is a familiar forecast.

But a different place.

This time it's the people in eastern North Carolina that will likely feel more of this storm's brunt.

While those in the mountains and foothills will see very little if any.

And while we know the forecast has changed in the past few hours and they continue to change.

Now is the time to get ready if you're in the forecast, some.

Before tonight get groceries and essential sure need for the next few days son, make sure you're prepared in case your power goes out.

Pay close attention to your local forecast and make sure you know the expected conditions in your area.

I've issued another state of emergency for the storm that allows us to mobilize state resources and lay the groundwork for potential federal reimbursement just like the storm this past weekend.

And like before were activating National Guard troops to help our counties with transportation and other needs.

114 soldiers with high clearance vehicles trucks and for will drive ambulances are staging in central and eastern North Carolina today.

They'll move to affected counties when they're needed.

We expect significant power outages from the storm in our southeastern counties, including the cities of Wilmington, Jacksonville, an uber.

That's where a quarter inch or more of ice is expected on trees and power lines and that's a recipe for power outages unfortunately.

Prepare for your power going out, but keeping your phones and other devices charged and make sure your heating fuel supplies are adequate.

As always never use generators are gas grills inside your home or garage.

The carbon monoxide fumes can be deadly.

And make sure you report your power outages if you have one directly to your power company and leave 911 lines open for lifesaving emergencies.

Joining me today are transportation secretary Eric Boyette public safety secretary any Buffalo.

Health and Human Services Secretary Cody Kinsley.

Colonel Freddy Johnson commander of the state Highway Patrol.

We have a Todd hunt adjutant general the National Guard and emergency management director will Ray.

Monica mcghee as our sign language interpreter and behind the scenes, Jackie mature and Margaret Wolf Roberts, our Spanish language interpreters at or interpreters.

First we'll hear from emergency management director will write well.

Thank you governor good afternoon, everyone.

>> Earlier today, the state emergency response team in the stadio C activated to support local jurisdictions and state agencies and winter storm response.

The shift to the east in the storm's projected impacts means less snow for central North Carolina.

The most significant snowfall is now expected in the northeastern counties and the biggest ice impacts in the Southeast County stretching from the Wilmington area through Jacksonville to the new Bern area, however.

The forecast is evolving.

So it's important to pay close attention to the latest forecast for your area.

We're expecting significant power outages in those southeastern counties due to the ice accumulation in some of these outages could be multi-day were extended.

We're coordinating with our private sector partners to include the utility providers on deployment of resources or extra crews.

The transportation waivers in the governor's state of emergency will help utility companies move equipment in crews quickly to restore power.

Our human services staff and vo ads are working to support preparations for any shelters are warming centers that might need to be opened.

We're paying particular attention for portions of our critical infrastructure such as our licensed health care facilities with the challenges due to any power outages.

As the governor said.

A 114 National Guard personnel are activated to support public safety response transportation needs and debris management.

Personal readiness and preparations need to be completed today for any weather impacts please visit ready NC .gov for more information on preparing your family vehicle and pets for winter weather.

We also want to acknowledge that our state and local public safety personnel citizens citizen soldiers of the of the National Guard and the critical partners in the Department of Transportation have been working for an extended time period with these back to back winter weather events and want to say thank you for what you do to protect all North Carolinians thank you governor.

Next we'll hear from Department of Transportation secretary Eric Boyette.

Thank you governor.

>> It's the dot crews have rested up from last weekend storm and already pretreating roads in advance of the winter weather heading our way we're getting ready for this next round we need you to do the same thing get prepared now for what's coming.

Once this storm hits road conditions will quickly deteriorate and you need to stay off the roads.

We are anti icing participating in very hazardous conditions, particularly in the triangle area and everywhere east of I 95 down to the coast.

Once the storm hits police stay put.

Any ice that falls will re freeze overnight because temperatures are going to be downright frigid that means that any travel in the mornings will be particularly dangerous due to black ice.

We have more than 700 employees and contract crews as well as about 300 trucks and graders working and we are ready to go.

So far we've applied nearly 1 million gallons of Brown and we have restock supplies of salt sand and our maintenance shorts so we can treat roads after this winter weather hits.

We've also been testing our chain saws and other heavy equipment to make sure it's ready to go when we are needed.

With rain coming in ahead of the winter weather.

We are concerned that in some areas, the brine or salt might wash off the roads again when the weather here is it's best to stay home.

That will make it easier for our crews and emergency responders to do their jobs.

Our crews are ready for what could be a very long weekend.

We will do our best to get roads, clear of ice snow any debris as quickly as we can.

Understand like all industries in C dot has been impacted by covid and staffing shortages.

We may not be able to respond in your area as quickly as we have in the past.

But rest assured, we will respond and work hard to get our roads clear as soon as possible.

Be patient and be prepared to hunker down when winter weather hits.

There's no need to take any unnecessary risk.

We just ask that you be safe and stay home if you can.

Thank the secretary will now hear from colonel Freddy Johnson, a commander of the North Carolina Highway Patrol, her parents.

>> Thank you governor Cooper.

The state helped rose again preparing with our partners in C dot and first responders across the potentially affected areas to assist Motors says the storms arrive as we witness this week, the work with the patrol.

Will be essential in the part of helping motorists navigate the challenges a winter storm can bring during the previous storm thousands of calls for assistance will receive our communication centers.

And we are ready to again help those in need.

Our message is remain the same.

Only those who must drive should be on the roadways in the affected areas as the storm arrives for those who must drive we have seen time and time again that the key to arrive in safely to your destination.

We rely heavily on a commitment to drastically reducing your speed.

So plan ahead.

Give yourself plenty of time by leaving early and Trent roadway conditions by visiting drive-in C .gov.

Slow down and move over for those who will be working alongside our roadways and remove your vehicle from the roadway if you become involved in a minor collision.

During the last storm our communication centers were flooded by callers looking for roadway conditions please avoid calling 911 or star HP unless it's an emergency.

Thank you governor.

Okay we'll take questions from.

Reporters in the room.

Laura Leslie with WRAL >> so I guess my question is really for secretary boy yet has to do with the brining because we had initially been told that we were going to be riding because of the rain that was moving through and now we've seen that we are spraying brine on the roads can you explain what changed and why.

>> Sure thank you laurissa great question.

So when we look at running operation and the approach of the storm.

We try to make sure that you know we're prepared we're looking at the weather forecast and you know some of our areas we it will be very beneficial as you know it is a very inexpensive way for us to prepare.

And we continue to do that because it is a great way for us to prepare and will continue to do that each and every opportunity we have this as you heard from our colleagues appear the storm is changing and we just want to be prepared if we can do that to prepare to save you know the roadways and make them improves that's what we're going to do.

>> Minor off probably for secretary boy yet to get.

You had mentioned about the impacts you are having with the COVID-19 pandemic like a lot of other people are now what steps are you all taking to try to mitigate the impacts about sure that's a great question said.

>> What we've done is you know, we've looked obviously we have a great relationship with our contract partners.

>> So we've reached out to them and make sure that they're prepared probably more than we normally would and make sure our staff is is prepared and we can be safe owner CDC guidelines were doing that.

And we're just continuing to you know we trust our team our team does a great job in all of our divisions and they will make it work.

You mentioned about I think 700 people are already in position getting ready and certain response is that any less than we would typically see for storm like this is it's coming in.

>> That's a great question say it's a little less than normal.

But what we can do we have our Western division's where they're ready they're still pushing snow out West too so they're also ready and prepared to be moved to the east to help out if they're needed.

>> And then you had mentioned about replenishing the supplies from the last storm for this storm had are you running into any challenges with doing that both just from the weather itself and any supply chain issues that we've been seeing.

>> So it's been challenging as everyone supplies.

She's are there and but for us it's been really good.

We've gotten most of our supplies back to where they should be and as I mentioned you know the storm previously hit our Western division's harder than it did our Eastern division.

So we've been able to save our salt and sand from the eastern side where this storm is headed now.

So we feel really good about our position today.

Thank you.

>> Josh Chapin at ABC 11, you know you talked about going out and having people get groceries and and do what they need to do to prepare now, but.

What would you say about you know people walking in the groceries, they don't have anything we've seen so many pictures people share and take pictures of.

So yesterday the hair see there was no chicken there's no meat you know speak to that is that is that supply chain issues that panic buying.

>> Can you speak to that a little bit or probably a combination of both we've seen a significant impact of the pandemic on the supply chain.

Throughout the Globe.

We've been taking steps here in North Carolina to try to tackle the supply chain issues issues we just open the Carolina connector, we're doing everything we can to try to mitigate that.

I know that can be very frustrating for people.

I would say here with this storm coming and if you are in the forecast area to buy what you can also would encourage people to look after each other particularly our seniors and our shot and who may have a particular issues and we're a little more concerned about this one because it's going to be so cold Friday and Saturday night.

And if there are power outages.

Then we we're concerned about maybe some families who can't stay warm.

And we need people to check on their friends and neighbors to make sure that they are taking care of taken to a warming shelter are taking to a friend's taken to a friend's house okay and just a quick question for the secretary dot.

The areas around here.

>> Maybe the ones that were problematic and ADA shun we saw the truck flipped off a 15 5 oh one or any of those areas getting any special attention this time.

>> So when we look at all of our primary routes and Interstate routes the same.

But we will be folks and as we always do on bridges during these events when the storm when the temperature drops like that.

But yes Sir and we've got great partnerships as you've heard with are patrolling the National Guard.

It's been a great a great team effort on this event.

>> Okay we have any questions for anyone on the phone.

Oh I'm sorry.

>> And see I'm and I'm usually on the other side.

Are you really aren't many places.

Brian Anderson formerly with the AP now at WRAL.

I had a question on price gouging protections.

How can someone delineate between being price gouged versus being the result of inflation.

>> You will first you have to have be charging a price that is abnormally high under the circumstances.

There's a specific legal definition in the statute, I think North Carolina has a pretty good one.

The bottom line here is we don't want people trying to take advantage of an emergency situation and gouge people.

The good thing about our price gouging law is that it acts as a real deterrent.

First off most of our businesses and merchants out there are out there trying to help people they're giving away water there they're trying to help their neighbors only very few who are the bad actors here and I think our price gouging law has done a good job of the years to deter people from and businesses from doing that.

>> Compared to last week are you more concerned less concerned equally concerned going into this week.

>> And I were were concerned about this week as we were last weekend in a particularly the slick roads and people getting into accidents.

We're also concerned about the power outages.

And what may be a little different from hearing from our forecasters about this weekend as I mentioned earlier is that it's going to get down into the teens I think on Saturday night just to get very cold and if you have people who have lost power.

This could be a dangerous situation for them so it's really important that our counties are getting ready with some potential warming shelters if needed.

And as North Carolina North Carolinians do as they always do is look out for each other.

>> 2 final ones on weathering a different storm with the pandemic just with regard, I know you're focuses on promoting vaccines.

And boosters right now is the top priorities.

Are reimposing any mandates to curb the spread of the virus, something you're seriously considering.

>> We're in a different place today than we were at the beginning of the pandemic we have different tools free.

Effective vaccines.

The department in our state officials are focusing our efforts on getting shots in arms are also focusing on trying to help people and businesses with testing that's where the focus needs to remain right now.

>> And you've consistently said from the start of the pandemic data is driving the decision-making process.

>> Right now our economic factors are other factors now the greater priority for you.

>> Public health and safety of North Carolinians has been and always will be the number one priority.

That's why we're working so h#*#*#* on vaccines is why we're working hard particularly on boosters because of the extra protection that they provide to people.

>> And last one you've just called for people we have to learn how to live with this virus.

What is living with this virus look like.

>> Well, we know that the goal is to get what experts call to the pandemic phase of this pen what the endemic phase of the virus in like the flu and other illnesses.

It likely will be around a while what we want to do however is to get our population vaccinated and boosted so will not have as big an effect we want to be able to live our lives normally.

Everybody's frustrated, right now.

And the more people we can get vaccinated and boosted the quicker we'll move out of this pandemic and into the endemic face appreciate a move to the other side of the room next time.

Yeah before trick me, anybody or a k a r will go to the phones.

>> Our first question is from get Foreman with the Associated Press.

>> Governor Cooper been good afternoon with this being the second storm in 3 weeks.

I could transmit my.

Here to catch resources in terms of doing with the different problems that come with winter storm.

Are you taking a longer look at what might be in the event that starts to become a weekly or biweekly occurrence.

>> So we want to make sure that we're prepared each and every time and we've seen natural to get disasters get more severe.

Over the last few years.

So I think it's important that we have the resources necessary that you know looking long term that we rebuild in a more resilient way we're looking at flooding and other storms that come into our state.

We always want to be prepared and we're going to continue to be.

Next question.

>> Our final question that we'll conclude today's media briefing is from did not hear the FOX 8.

>> Governor Cooper.

I want to ask you in relation to this nursing home in Thomasville to work to residents were found deceased by authorities 2 more taken to hospital during the last storm.

>> After inadequate staffing was found there I want to ask have you made contact with him with any of the residents.

Staff writer for administrator here.

And what do you think should be done to hold those responsible accountable.

>> This is deeply troubling.

We must make sure that we're looking after people in these kinds of facilities and the matter should fully the investigated and that's what I expect to happen.

Next question please.

All right get prepared everybody thank you for joining us, we appreciate it.