“Phenomenal job. Consummate professionals.”
Those were the first words Fredericksburg’s Director of Public Works William Morris said about his department’s 127 essential personnel that worked three days of 12-hour shifts to help the city weather Winter Storm Blair, which dropped nearly seven inches of snow around the region.
On-road preparations for the January 6th storm this past Monday began with brine the Friday before. Crews started spreading 3,000 of the substance, a mixture of water and salt that helps prevent snow and ice from sticking to roads. That was followed by 200 tons of salt and sand distributed by 20 Public Works pick-ups, dump trucks and spreaders in a 24/7 operation. Each truck carries approximately two tons of salt and sand, running routes for between two and four hours before needing to refill. After snow accumulations reach about an inch, Morris says, the city could begin plowing.
Keyword: “city.”
Unlike the surrounding counties, Fredericksburg doesn’t receive plowing assistance from VDOT. Any streets other than I95 within city limits are cleared by Public Works employees. The city also maintains its own equipment.
The Public Works City Shop on Belman Road is home to a team of five mechanics who are responsible for a fleet of nearly 500 vehicles. City mechanics are capable of making repairs in the field, addressing common malfunctions like blown alternators and failed turbos to keep trucks on the street instead of sitting in the shop. The City Shop also has an on-site fuel depot, and contracts with Quarles Petroleum for on-the-road fill ups.
Fredericksburg’s snow response plan calls for crews to clear primary roads for first responders, emergency vehicles and essential employees. That includes Route 1, Route 3, Lafayette Boulevard, Fall Hill Avenue as well as Princess Anne Street and Caroline Street. After those roads have been adequately cleared, plows can begin shifting attention to secondary roads, subdivisions and side streets. Changes in temperature or precipitation can cause crews to shift back to primary roadways after making progress on area neighborhoods.
Those calls are made with assistance from Morris’ leadership team of two assistant directors, two superintendents and two deputy superintendents, the latter of which serve as the “eyes and ears” on the roadways. They’re able to monitor conditions in real time and communicate needs around the city, as they arise.
While many of the Public Works crew worked to keep roads and sidewalks clear, another 15 were stationed around the clock to oversee operations at the wastewater treatment plant. Generators, showers and food were all provided for several days as the facility ran in emergency mode to keep services processing throughout the storm.
It’s all in a day’s, or night’s work, according to Morris.
“Public Works touches everything,” says Morris. “We’re very excited to do what we do and we’re proud of it.”
For Winter Storm Blair, the Fredericksburg Police Department served as the site for the city’s emergency operations center. Morris joined representatives from other essential departments to hunker down for seventy two hours and oversee the city’s snow response. Officials held conference calls with Virginia’s Department of Emergency Management every four hours and regularly monitored the agency’s weather forecasts for any changes to the weather.
Morris cites the communication and collaboration between departments as instrumental to the city’s response to Winter Storm Blair, noting the particular efforts of Fredericksburg Parks, Events and Recreation, Public Facilities, the City Manager’s Office and first responders. He also says the Governor’s State of Emergency declaration allowed the city to begin 24/7 operations and provided access to state and federal resources.
Despite the solid response to Winter Storm Blair, there won’t be much resting on laurels around Public Works. Morris spent the first day out of the city’s emergency operations center meeting with his fellow department heads to debrief. There’s also the possibility of more winter weather in next week’s forecast.
