Nasty blizzards and raging snowstorms usually send people scurrying inside, but for some city employees, it’s just time to get back to the plow.
Working around the clock — and around the weather — the employees of Evanston’s Public Works Department are the city’s first line of defense against impassable snowdrifts. With snowplows resembling giant shovels attached to trucks, public works employees strive to keep the city’s streets clear.
Effectively and safely operating the plows requires a unique blend of precision training, stress management and snow stratagems.
“Not only are you mindful of what you are supposed to be doing with the snowplow, but you have to be mindful of the conditions around you,” said Raymond Summers, who has been driving snowplows since 1987 and also serves as president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1891. “You have to be alert because you have a plow that is pushing snow, and you need to avoid causing any type of damage to property, vehicles and residents at the same time. It’s very stressful work.”
The snow-removal work, although primarily the responsibility of the Division of Streets and Sanitationworkers, is everyone’s job. A dreaded Chicago winter gale producing more than 2 inches of snow usually prompts the city to activate its “snow command” policy.
In this situation more than 100 employees of all Public Works divisions are eligible for a 12-hour shift behind the wheel of one of Evanston’s 50 steel-shoveled beasts.
The assault on the snow begins with spreading salt, which is placed on the road to slow accumulation. Areas vital to the city’s normal operation, including major intersections as well as roads leading to hospitals, schools and business districts, are salted first.
And then the real fun begins.
If the snowfall persists, plow drivers are assigned to specific sections of the city. Tag teams varying from two to five trucks employ different strategies to clear busy thoroughfares and quiet residential avenues.
“We don’t stop doing it until the streets are all done. They are out doing the streets right now,” said Summers, referring to cleanup operations following the snowfall Monday night. “It’s extremely rare that you’ll see a street that has not been plowed several days after a storm.”
Vital to the smooth operation is the condition of the vehicles themselves. Before and after shifts, the vehicles make a stop at the Fleet Services division for a routine checkup. The most common ailment plaguing the polar behemoths is damage to the plow blade from hitting manhole covers, according to Superintendent of Administrative Services Cathy Radek.
“We have top-notch mechanics, and our equipment holds up excellently,” she said. “We need good trucks to deliver good service.”
Driving a snowplow might seem to some like playing a game rather than filling an important public need, but operating the vehicle is harder than it looks. Although new employees are required to take a four-hour class and receive on-the-job training, Summers said the job remains challenging, even after 17 years in the driver’s seat.
“The stress is there because you have to be knowledgeable about how to prevent accidents,” said Summers, adding that the city has had few incidents involving its snow-removal equipment. “For 12 hours, you have to be alert every minute.”
But the job has its perks — and it’s more than just being able to drive a massive shovel.
“The vast majority of the residents and businesspeople always take the time to let us know that they appreciate us being out there, whether it’s two in the morning or three in the afternoon,” Summers said. “And we get more good stories than bad.”
A photo in Wednesday?s Daily accompanying a story about Evanston?s Public Works Department misidentified the snowplow featured. The snowplow pictured belongs to Northwestern Facilities Management.The Daily regrets the error.
