North Bergen has been called the second hilliest city in the country, second only to San Francisco - making it the hilliest in our state. And no matter what Mother Nature throws in its way, the township says it is ready. They say it's all about getting out ahead of the storm.

News 12 spoke with Anthony Vainieri, North Bergen’s commissioner for the Department of Public Works about some of the township’s prep work ahead of a storm.

“A steep hill like this sometimes, you might even see a plow go backwards up the hill, and that’s because they drop the salt and they pick up the traction with their rear tires first, so it’ll bring them up the hill," said Vaineri.

That’s just one of the tricks the Department of Public Works crews use to tackle the hills in this township, and if you’ve ever driven through or walked around North Bergen, you know, that’s no small feat.

But Vaineri added his crews come prepared and they start salting early and continue salting through the duration of a storm.

North Bergen has 4,000 tons of salt ready to hit the road ahead of any storm. In the last two days, where snow rain and sleet have turn to ice, the township has used 1,000 tons of salt on their roads and they’re already preparing for stormy weather later this week.

“We already have a delivery coming in tomorrow we try to keep up with it," Vaineri. "Everybody realizes it when you’re in North Bergen you can tell the difference. You see pavement.”

With all that salt in the yard, North Bergen also lends a helping hand to neighboring towns when they run out, as well as the county.