In a typical year, the College Park area experiences an average of five to six snow or ice events with an average seasonal snowfall of around 13 inches. Long before the first snowflakes fall, the Facilities Management (FM) landscape/snow removal team begins winter weather preparation, and whatever winter brings, FM is prepared.
Responding to Winter Storm Fern
Winter Storm Fern brought an unusually difficult mix of conditions, combining about six inches of snow with another four to five inches of sleet and freezing rain. The result was a thick layer of ice over the snow, creating surfaces that could not be easily plowed or shoveled. Extended below-freezing temperatures prevented melting and caused ongoing refreezing.
Facilities Management mobilized the Snow Command Team at 6 p.m. on Saturday, January 14, and crews worked around the clock to clear snow and ice. Four large front loaders and three dump trucks removed more than 200 truckloads of ice and snow to a nearby location.
Strategic Pre-winter Planning
Keeping 87 miles of sidewalks, 20 miles of roads, and many thousands of square feet in parking lots clear of snow and ice, doesn’t just happen. It requires meticulous and comprehensive planning. Prep for winter usually begins in August with weekly progress updates that continue through December.
During weekly planning and update sessions, teams focus on equipment readiness, communications networks, and training with a goal of operational readiness by Thanksgiving. Duties for staff members and contractors are assigned and confirmed. Training and mobilization drills ensure that staff in the field are comfortable using their equipment and that the command center team is adept and practiced with the communications systems used to direct teams to where they are needed most.
FM’s Snow Arsenal: Trucks, Tractors and More
Snow management is a complex and intricate operation with lots of moving parts and every storm is different. How winter weather is handled depends on the situation and the tools available. FM stocks enough de-icing material to get through two medium storms – 30 tons of magnesium chloride de-icer and 600 tons of road salt. The fleet that services the campus includes one large dump truck, heavy-duty trucks, and 4x4 pickup trucks – all with plows and spreaders. Kubota utility vehicles and other smaller vehicles used on sidewalks are also equipped with plows and spreaders. Plows are attached to the trucks and tractors well in advance of the first snow. Six medium-sized tractors with plow blades can also be called on when necessary.
The command center team uses a specially designed overlay on the campus map that pinpoints the location of snowplows via GPS. This enables the team to respond even more quickly to calls for assistance during a storm.
Campus Weather Response – Safety First
When severe weather hits, campus crews are deployed with the ultimate goal of keeping campus safe and accessible. If campus and/or local conditions require cancellation of classes and activities, the decision will be made in the early morning hours. When winter weather threatens, FM follows a detailed FEMA Incident Command System structure that sets priorities for everything from a Winter Weather Advisory to a Blizzard Warning.
Information regarding campus inclement weather procedures can be found on the UMD website. To report a building or grounds safety issue, please call 301-405-2222.
This winter, FM will once again count on teamwork, flexibility, and proactive planning to be ready for anything that nature sends our way.