By Stephen Smoot
West Virginians are familiar enough with the effects of heavy snows, cold temperatures made more frigid by robust gusts of wind. They see the impacts in missed school days, lost time at work, and the headaches caused by dangerous roads.
What fewer see are the challenges faced and overcome by those whose job lies in keeping everyone else safe and secure, whether at home, at work, or on the roads.
The West Virginia Department of Transportation has a massive task covering more than 80,000 miles of roadways throughout the state. From the interstate and Appalachian Corridor network to tar and gravel roads winding through remote hollows and over ridges and mountains, snowplows must take on a variety of road conditions over mostly difficult terrain.
In many areas, snow removal must continue well after the storm subsides because sustained winds drive heavy amounts of snow back onto the roadways.
“It’s necessary to have a good plan; it’s necessary to execute a good plan, and talk to each other,” explained Jimmy Wriston P.E. who serves as West Virginia Secretary of Transportation.
He described the work of SRIC, snow removal and ice control, as “not a productivity activity. It’s a deliberate activity that has to be done slowly, methodically, and safely.” With many counties understaffed and drivers continually working, their safety remains paramount as “crews are continuing to work around the clock.”
Approximately 1,000 snowplows can be at the State’s disposal for road clearing efforts.
Wriston praised the skill and work ethic of snowplow drivers, sharing that “driving a truck over the road, or driving a truck that uses asphalt or gravel in good weather, is a hard job. It’s a tough thing to do for a living.”
He went on to state “then you stick a snowplow on the dump trucks, 12 feet out in front of you, and you put yourself out there on the West Virginia roads in inclement weather and it’s a different animal.”
Technology has also helped to improve response and capabilities in snow removal. Wriston described how “a few years ago we switched to data-driven decision making and that tells us exactly what we should be doing.”
Part of that includes resource planning. The Department of Highways acquired 231,000 tons of salt for use all over the state, relying on figures showing average amounts used each year over the past 10 years.
“I’m glad that I have the opportunity to get out there and show these guys that do it – and have worked all night as hard as they can work – that we support them, we care about them, and that they are doing a great job.” Wriston said.
Emergency services first responders also face challenges and even dangers when responding to calls.
Fortunately, DoH lends a hand here as well, helping to clear pathways to residences or other sites. Many times when a plow truck must leave its assignment, it is helping first responders get to an emergency situation.
Just like any other vocation that requires outside work, emergency response in challenging conditions imposes more work, burdens, and dangers than on normal days.
A major task for first responders, especially in volunteer services, lies in keeping vehicles and vital equipment in a constant state of readiness. This requires extensive and repeated troubleshooting. Sometimes, despite even the most diligent maintenance, breakdowns occur. Ambulances might experience engine or other problems that render them undriveable. Interior heating can break down.
Personnel must remain prepared for the worst to prevent their own situation from requiring an emergency response.
Civilians can help emergency responders by having legible and recognizable physical addressing, early snow removal, clearing paths, clearing areas around the fire hydrants, and having outdoor lighting for crews coming in.
