Storm Stories: Snow Weeds Out the Weak

Winter of 2015 -- The Winter of Whuhhhht???  

How did your crew do? This winter has been a bit nutty, hasn't it?  How many snowstorms, sub-zero days, one inch 'storms', and gigantic "No-storms" (sic) but icing events can we pack into two months?  We actually had 12 snow events in the eight weeks between Jan 7 - Mar 6th.  I got tired just writing that sentence and remembering. Seems as if every other day we're sending email detailing our storm plans. Taking care of our customers so that they can get out to work, school, and daily routines is more than having our crews and equipment ready.  It is also, especially this year, communicating so that the snowplowing is a checked item on their To-Do lists. We email all of our clients a Storm Plan a day or two before.  We call our elderly clients to let them know we'll be there to take care of them.  We often text their adult children who may be living elsewhere but taking great care of Mom and Dad from a distance. After plowing we send pictures to our commercial landscaping customers so they have clear proof that their property is safe. For our clients traveling and/or living around the world whose vacation properties we manage, we often send videos of their property to ensure they have peace of mind. We strongly believe that quality landscaping is about sharing quality information and doing quality work in advance of when you need it.  It's like the backpacking principle, "Drink before you're thirsty.  Eat before you're hungry."  We try to communicate and get the job done before you start to worry.  __________ Great communication and service is what we deliver every storm, but when there is a big storm, we really shine: B.O.S.S. men - Beasts of Snowplowing & Shoveling (tm) Taking care of our clients during a big storm is like a Fred & Ginger dance of: planning, muscle, equipment, supplies, and backup for when things break.  And things certainly can break during big snow storms. This year's snow has been completely manageable in our area (glad you're not living in Boston?). But let's look back at how we took care of our clients during the 35" monster blizzard in Feb 2013. The Blizzard of 2013 (Winter Storm Nemo - latin for "no one" or "nobody", as in nobody should have to be submerged or swim through three feet of snow.)

• Fairfield got 35" (plus drifts up to 6 ft), Westport got 24.5" (plus drifts).
• snow fell at a rate of about 4-5" per hour between 11pm, Friday and 4am Saturday!
• we started snowplowing 12 noon Friday
• we worked until 3:30am Monday
• we got all of our customers out for work on Monday, most were out by Sunday afternoon, 1/3 by Saturday evening.
• On Monday we drove around to open up ends of driveways after the town trucks came by!  We always do this last pass for free, encouraging our clients to call us rather than shovel in their nice shoes.

How did your crew do?   STORM STORIES: (the following is a more detailed look at the 35" storm Nemo, Feb 7-9, 2013) Over the past few years, I've found that snowplowing is a great way to measure whether you are working with the right landscaping company. Many companies can cut grass pretty well.  Fewer can prune trees and shrubs properly, artistically.  Fewer still can design unique, beautiful landscapes. But blizzards bury the weaker companies.  The "summertime bargain" landscaping companies who do not have the knowledge, equipment, nor crew to take care of the big snow to get you out on time. I was trained by my step-father and brother-in-law to snowplow giant corporations (GE, Cartus) and shopping mall parking lots.  I've learned how to move lots and lots of snow; the importance of calling in back-up support early.   We know how to get you out on time! Our Timeline for the Blizzard of 2013 As we do for most snow storms, preparation for the Blizzard of 2013 storm started early in the week with getting the plows, trucks, shovels, snow blowers, ice melt, chainsaws (for fallen trees), fuel, food, and crew ready.  We watch five TV stations, monitor online sources constantly, and watch the radar apps on our iPhones and iPads to compare forecasts. And -- bang -- went the starting gun... The snow started at 730am Friday.  We did final prep, including weighting the trucks properly because properly weighted trucks get better traction and do a better job.  We get to your house and make a way for you to get into or out of your home as quickly as possible. Plowing started at noon because there was already two inches of wet snow.  We usually start plowing at 3-4 inches, but this storm was forecast to be HUGE so we wanted to stay ahead of it... as much as possible.  News12 (thanks Paul!) and WTNH (Gil, Erika, Sam) were pretty much spot on! Here's the rest of the Timeline: Friday, 2/8/13: 7:30 am   Final prep 9:00    I call in first crew 12:00 noon   We begin plowing 3:00   Remainder of B.O.S.S.* crew joins us, snow is really falling.

• *B.O.S.S. = Beasts Of Snowplowing & Shoveling (c)2013

6:00-7:00   Dinner at my house with crew, watching all TV station forecasts 7:00-11:00   Plow, plow, shovel and plow 11:00 pm -- blizzard, white out conditions. We couldn't see past our plows so prudence dictated bringing the crew back to my house to wait until the winds died down... Watched updated forecasts.  I decided to have crew sleep at my house to ensure we were all together for the morning... which came very early. The wisdom of keeping my crew with me was reinforced early Sat morning when I got a text from a former employee.  He now works for another landscaping company that tried staying out through the white out conditions.  Then -- too late -- they sent crews home in the worst part of the blizzard.  Even big town trucks were getting stuck.  So even with his strong, diesel plow truck, it took him 4 hours to get from Westport to Fairfield!  So at 6am he texted me asking to help get his truck out of his driveway! Sometimes wisdom and good service to our customers is knowing when to retreat and let nature finish its fury Saturday, 2/9/2013  Day two of the Blizzard of 2013 3:15 am   I awake to find 18-20 more inches on the ground since we went to sleep four hours ago!  It is still coming down heavy, wind is near blinding, and the road is impassable because it has not been plowed... four foot drifts at this point.  So I decide to let crew sleep in. 5:45 am   Wake crew, start feeding them.  They're big guys and have big appetites.  It was like feeding a football team, but they all had adrenalin pumping and were eager to get going. 6:45 am   We see town trucks working Morehouse, the nearest main road.  But they haven't done my street yet so the road is  impassable for pick-up sized plow trucks.    So we develop a new plan and try a new method.  I call it The Shackleton method. Do you remember the story of Ernest Shackleton?  If not, here's a primer: Shackletons men were tough and didn't let a wee bit of ice and snow and glaciers and wind and such stop them... (the following is from Nova's Shackleton's Antarctic Journey) 7:30 am   To test our Shackleton method for dealing with 35" of snow plus five foot snow drifts, we have two crews of two men shovel ahead of the snowblower to knock the snow down low enough so that the large 26" snowblower can be pushed and dragged into the battle.  Then it can start rocketing snow out of its hungry maw.  Slowwwwwwwwwly we make our way toward our customers. Yes, we are shoveling and snowblowing a path down my road so that we can free up our customers. 7:45-8:00    We make our way to our first customer, who lives right on my street!  During the spring, I could tap dance my way to their house in about two minutes.  (Don't ask me to tap dance.  Its a downright foolish sight!) 8:00 -- 9:15   We begin working on first driveway.   A driveway that usually takes 2 guys 12-15 minutes (i.e., 1/2 man hour of work) takes 5 guys a full hour (i.e., 5 man-hours ~ 10 times the work!)! The 20 degree temps and frequent 40 mph wind gusts that whip walls of snow at us are a challenge but our determination is strong. Regardless, we have smiles on our faces as we finish our first house! 9:15 - 9:30   We Shackleton our way two houses down the street to our next house. 9:30 - 10:30   We work on and finish 2nd driveway.  Customer so thrilled that he brings us coffee, water, and nice warm thanks! 10:30-12:00   finish 3rd driveway.  They're away in Florida so I take pics so they'll know all the fun they missed. 12:00-1:00   Lunch is inhaled in about 20 minutes.  The guys are actually eager to get back outside.  I have them rest up because we have a long day and night ahead of us.   Finally, at about 1:00 I say, "Alright guys.  Let's Shackleton our ways toward the main road so that we can free up our trucks and get to our customers." 1:15 pm -- Suddenly... a deep, powerful rumble shakes the windows... The cavalry!   A TOWN SNOWPLOW TRUCK!   Those guys are my heroes!  (Hey, don't you judge!  At least they don't wear tights like Superman and Batman.  Don't take steroids like A-Rod and Armstrong... My Public Works heroes provide a service that actually can save lives.  Seriously!  No passable roads = Ambulances can't get to people who need them.) Okay, I'm off the soap box. With a whoop and a holler the crew is all activity as we throw on our many layers of snow gear! We Shackleton our way out of my driveway to the center of the road where the Town truck plowed... 10 mins later: we're free! From that point on, it was just work, work, -- a bit of Shackletoning here and there, work, food, water, and more work until we finished at 3:30 am Monday morning. Its amazing what adrenalin, caffeine, lots of food, water, and good team work can get done!