Now that winter is well under way, snowfall is becoming a weekly occurrence. The roads become inundated with snow, slowing down cars; sidewalks become minefields of black ice, tripping unsuspecting students on their way to class. Mark Zimmerman, director of facilities management and construction, and the Facilities Management Staff is prepared to make sure that the campus stays safe for students and faculty members.
Zimmerman is in charge of staying informed of impending inclement weather. He coordinates with his staff to create a proper response plan. The staff’s first priority is to clear paths around the Brossman Commons, the High Library and the academic quad. From there, staff works towards the residence halls.
The staff uses a wide array of tools to accommodate the different types of storms and situations.
According to Zimmerman, they “utilize plows and tractors with buckets for larger lots and roads. Tool cats and Steiner tractors that can be outfitted with brushes (for smaller amounts) or buckets and plow blades (for larger amounts) are used for smaller walking paths and areas that trucks and tractors can’t get to in the interior of the campus. Some of the trucks and utility vehicles are equipped with salt spreaders to treat icy areas. The product is comprised mostly of chloride salt, with a small portion of biodegradable liquid derived from by-products of the fermentation and distillation processes of liquor production. These by-products assist in melting the ice at lower temperatures than straight chloride salt and allow us to use fewer products. The additives are completely biodegradable and nontoxic.”
For students and professors hoping for a snow day, Zimmerman noted, “the conditions would have to be pretty bad to merit a cancelation and is often not caused by [the staff’s] ability to deal with the storm here on campus. Rather, other factors play in such as to whether local K-12 schools close or how bad the roads are in and out of Elizabethtown.”
Since each storm is unique, it takes a lot of planning and coordination. The staff plans around the snow removal depending on the time and the strength of the storm. They begin by making lists of things that need to be repaired, ordering parts and salts and making repairs. If there is a snow storm overnight, the staff can start anywhere between 4-6 a.m. If a storm spans over a 24 hour period, the staff will utilize split shifts and stay on campus over night. Zimmerman says, “the biggest difficulties are related to removing the snow around parked cars, pedestrians and finding places to move the snow when we have large storms.”
Zimmerman’s advice for staying safe is: “It is wise to lower your driving speeds and avoid fast starts and stops. Bringing a shovel from home to keep in your vehicle and a brush and scraper for your windows will help you get dug out quicker when you need to go somewhere. A small bag of road cinders or rock salt stored in the trunk is also helpful for traction to get a vehicle’s tires unstuck. Always be aware of your surroundings when navigating around campus and give equipment operators wide clearance. Wear appropriate footwear and warm outer wear. If you dress properly, you are less inclined to rush to your destination to get out of the cold and are more likely to avoid slipping and falling. Be vigilant in looking out for black ice. Every evening the snow melting across parking lots and paths freezes up when temperatures are below freezing causing very dangerous conditions in the early morning hours.”
Zimmerman’s snow response team is comprised of experienced and knowledgeable staff members. They’ve had to use seemingly unorthodox methods to remove snow. “No two storms are alike, and we are constantly adjusting our strategies based on the most recent forecasts. Sometimes conditions can lead to a decision to not remove snow on walkways for safety. Although this sounds counterintuitive, we have used this strategy successfully when there is a few inches of snow followed by freezing rain. To remove the snow clean down to the concrete you would provide a smooth surface for the freezing rain to stick and actually make things worse. By leaving the snow, you provide more traction and make it safer to remove later after the threat of freezing rain subsides. This was the case of how we handled the Super Bowl storm on Feb. 1,” Zimmerman said. He recalls his 20 years with the College. In the mid to late 1900s, he had to deal with two feet of snow on campus. He and his team had to sleep in the Brown building due to the impassable roads. The Governor declared a state of emergency and closed roads to emergency vehicles only.
