JACKSONVILLE, N.C. -- It may feel like fall, but the cold weather is almost here, and the state DOT is getting ready.

"Currently we are calibrating trucks and equipment plows, also salt brines, taking a look at those with regards to how much of the anti-ice material we have and also we're checking the salt inventory," said Gerard Taylor, assistant maintenance Division 3 engineer with the NCDOT.

The DOT has nearly 2,000 trucks that can be equipped with plows and salt spreaders.

In Division 3, which covers the coastal counties, there's a large supply of resources and workers ready to combat winter storms.

"There's approximately 3,500 tons of salt with about 120,000 gallons of salt brine at the ready as it stands right now with approximately 150 people to apply that utilizing 125 pieces of equipment,” said Taylor.

Across the state, the DOT can store up to 170,000 tons of salt and sand and about 1.5 million gallons of brine. But DOT officials say it's critical to make sure the equipment is ready to distribute those resources.

"They sit up to 11 months out of the year, so with salt they may be rusted up some,” said Jeremy Stroud, Division 2 staff maintenance engineer. “So getting them out and getting them on the trucks and making sure everything works is necessary going into the winter weather seasons so if we do have an event, we're not trying to make repairs on things that have sat up most of the year."

DOT officials say preparing now puts them ahead of any winter weather to come

"It's a little bit of a process, it takes a little time but it all speeds up the process when we have to actually outfit the truck come that snow event," said Taylor.

The DOT also wants to remind drivers to give salt spreaders and plows space when they are pre-treating and clearing the roads.

"If you ever see a snow truck out there, give it some room,” said Taylor. “They're trying to see a road that no one can see just as yourselves while you drive so they're trying to keep that big piece of machinery on the road to clear the road and to remove snow safely with the moving public at hand."