Article Text
Fairfax County’s recovery from Winter Storm Fern has been complicated by a sharp rise in serious sledding injuries and the indefinite closure of Herndon’s indoor tennis center.
The Jan. 25 storm had already been linked to three deaths involving medical emergencies, according to Fairfax County police. Inova also reported a significant increase in sledding-related injuries during the following week, with several patients requiring hospitalization and intensive care.
Dr. Adam Kochman, medical director for pediatric emergency medicine at Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children, said children sledding on ice rather than snow likely contributed to the high-impact injuries.
Inova saw more snow- and ice-related injuries throughout its Northern Virginia healthcare system. At Reston Hospital Center, emergency room visits initially declined as the storm kept people indoors before returning to normal levels.
Reston Hospital reported orthopedic injuries from falls on ice, along with trauma connected to sledding, vehicle crashes and other snow-related falls. Several unhoused patients were also treated for hypothermia. The hospital reported no deaths directly attributed to the storm.
Fern dropped as much as 8.5 inches of snow and ice across Fairfax County. Although that was less than the county’s largest snowfall the previous year, an extended stretch of below-freezing weather hardened the accumulation into dense material that the Virginia Department of Transportation dubbed “snowcrete.”
The hardened snow and ice slowed efforts to clear streets and sidewalks while making activities such as sledding more hazardous. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue advises residents to avoid sledding on hills covered by ice instead of snow.
The storm also damaged the Bready Park Indoor Tennis Center at 814 Ferndale Avenue in Herndon. Town officials did not disclose the nature or extent of the damage, but said the facility will remain closed indefinitely while repairs are underway. The center completed upgrades in 2024.
Herndon resumed trash and recycling collection on Feb. 2 after canceling pickups throughout the previous week. Residents were permitted to leave two additional bags of trash outside their containers.
Public works crews continued widening lanes on major roads, clearing downtown on-street parking and addressing neighborhood streets.
In Vienna, Town Manager Mercury Payton temporarily lifted noise restrictions from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Feb. 1 exclusively for snow and ice removal. The waiver covered residents, property owners and contractors as crews continued removing rock-solid accumulation from Church Street, Maple Avenue and other public areas.
Fairfax County Public Schools canceled classes again on Feb. 2. Superintendent Michelle Reid said she was coordinating with VDOT and county officials to address blocked roads and intersections in hopes of reopening schools Feb. 3, likely with a two-hour delay.
FCPS asked families to report bus stops still significantly obstructed by snow or ice through an online form. The school system also encouraged community members to help clear bus stops and sidewalks.