Hood Today

"It is nearly 7:00 pm Friday Night and it looks like the Big Storm is here (at Hood)…it is snowing pretty hard and the Hood streets and driveways and steps are clear…this is because Jim Haines and his crew has been hard at work for hours and are all geared up to spend the night here working and clearing and shoveling… they did a superb job with the previous snowstorms and are repeating the performance…it is unmatched in my opinion…they are truly dedicated workers doing their all to keep the campus open passable and safe!!" - Len Latkovski

"I want to express my sincere appreciation to the Facilities Division, Campus Safety, Food Service, Student Life and many others for your heroic service provided to our students. I also want to thank our residential students for your patience, understanding and cooperation during the past week." - Ronald J. Volpe, President (Feb. 12, 2010)

When the record snowstorm hit, Hood Facilities Division's Jimmy Haines, his crew, and members of Hood's Facilities management contractor, ARAMARK, were prepared. With well-maintained equipment and ample supplies of salt and de-icer, the team was ready for any snow emergency.

The snow removal plan followed Hood's currently established procedure. The "Residential Quad" area and walkways to Coblentz Dining Hall are given priority. Fire hydrants and fire sprinkler connections to buildings are to be kept visible and accessible. Walkways are to be cleared and treated with de-icer. Parking lots and campus roads are to be plowed and salted. No snow is to be plowed beyond campus limits or onto Frederick Streets. Piles of plowed snow are to be loaded onto trucks and dumped between the Observatory and the Athletic Field.

The Blizzard of 2010 consisted of two major snowfalls. The first covered the campus with over two feet of snow. The second brought slightly less but strong winds and bitter temperatures made it more severe. Despite these conditions the team worked tirelessly through both.

Rick Kahley, Hood's Director of Facilities, remained on site to coordinate efforts of the snow removal team and to ensure an immediate response to whatever emergencies may arise.

"The students were very cooperative with moving their cars and they commented on the wonderful job we were doing," said Jimmy Haines about residential students. He adds, "Judy Carlberg needs to be recognized, too, for her effort to make sure that the team had everything it needed."

ARAMARK graciously provided free meals in the dining hall for snow removal team members. By their own initiative and at their own expense, women from the Facilities Office went into town to bring back pizza and chicken for the men.

The team's work continued after the blizzard subsided. Walkways had to be continuously cleared because of blowing snow. Dangerous overhead conditions caused by loose gutters or ice buildup had to be identified and areas underneath sectioned off. ARAMARK personnel cleared rooftops of snow where weight posed a problem.

The aftermath of the storm will keep Facilities busy with storm-related work. Damage caused by the weather and by snow removal efforts must be assessed and fixed. These include grassy areas damaged by plowing, concrete curbs pushed aside in parking lots, potholes and campus trees; broken boughs and fallen branches litter the campus. Flooding in buildings and pooling water on campus will need attention if the weather warms too quickly.

The snow removal team and those who have supported them have been called our "unsung heroes". Considering the exceptional degree of hard work and dedication they showed during one of the most severe weather events of recent times, this distinction may just not be good enough.

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