FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Around the City of Fort Smith, crews have been working 12-hour shifts clearing icy roads.
“They are out plowing salting and sanding and will do so until our roads are safe to drive on," said Fort Smith City Administer Carl Geffken.
While traveling in the snow-covered Fayetteville roads, 5NEWS caught a video of neighbors helping neighbors, with a truck pulling a semi-truck up College Avenue after it got stuck.
"We're just doing a lot of plowing and hitting it with brine trying to melt it off," said Rodney Trenholm with the Fayetteville Department of Transportation.
Crews are working around the clock to keep the roads clear, focusing on primary roads, calling it a team effort.
“We got guys running our brine unit, we got guys running our equipment, load our trucks,” Trenholm said. “We got mechanics in fleet maintenance equipment.”
Crews are working three shifts monitoring conditions for 24 hours, hoping no one gets stuck. However, if they do, they can rely on help from the Arkansas National Guard.
"We've been patrolling, trying to keep everybody safe,” said Sgt. Samuel Preciado. “Making sure everyone is going nice and slow."
Troops are spread across Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley, assisting Arkansas State Police.
But this weather hasn't been all bad. In the River Valley, people are taking advantage of the snow.
"We've been sledding and snow ball fighting and it's really, really fun,” said a child enjoying the snow in Fort Smith.
The same goes for Northwest Arkansas as University of Arkansas students spent the night sledding.
“It's a blast,” shouted Mitchell Paliganoff. “We're going to have three days off of school."
They're not the only ones enjoying no school. Fayetteville is among a handful of districts canceling classes and giving students a snow day.
"We can have a snow day on Friday, February 4,” said Alan Wilbourn, Fayetteville Schools' public information officer. “And of course, with the snow day, there's always the tradeoff. You have to make up that day."
Due to an Arkansas requirement of 178 days of instruction, Fayetteville will add a day to the end of the semester, making the last day of school May 27.
As of now, kids of all ages are just enjoying this break.
“You guys are the best, Woo Pig Sooie," Paliganoff said.