A week ago, as the threat of a major storm became realistic, the facilities team for Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia started holding meetings and getting contractors lined up.
Then, on Saturday afternoon, a small group gathered around the table in a building off to the side of Woodson High School. At the snow command center, they鈥檙e surrounded by large screens 鈥� one on the Weather Channel, one showing plow locations in real time and another projecting road temperatures across the region.
It鈥檚 not just used during snow events. Hurricanes, wind storms and downed trees create similar circumstances.
Around 11 p.m., technicians arrived to survey school campuses and start plowing snow. They begin when 2 inches reach the ground, and they initially work in 12- to 14-hour shifts.
Some of the leadership team stayed at a nearby hotel, making sure they can be present each day. The work is still ongoing, with schools still facing snow-covered or icy parking lots and crosswalks.
For Northern Virginia鈥檚 largest school district, the cleanup from the storm involves about 200 pieces of equipment. It鈥檚 a process that could end up costing about $1 million.
鈥淓very storm is different,鈥� said Brian Davis, the school system鈥檚 executive director of facilities and maintenance. 鈥淭his one here is the ice. We started plowing snow during the storm on Saturday evening, and we all know it switched over to ice early Sunday morning, Sunday afternoon. That ice layer is a big challenge for us now to bust through that and get all that off our property.鈥�
Typically, custodians are responsible for the sidewalks, while the facilities team oversees parking lots and crosswalks. Pedro Mercedes, who has worked for the division for eight years, said the biggest challenge is 鈥渨hen it freezes and you can鈥檛 really push it. Sometimes, it just becomes that we need a machine to actually be able to plow it.鈥�
This week, Davis said, road conditions made cleanup difficult.
鈥淭he back roads are horrible,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淛ust getting to our schools and neighborhoods has been a big challenge.鈥�
When the team can see asphalt, particularly parking lines, and put salt down, 鈥渁t that point, we can start to say we鈥檙e getting to where we need to be,鈥� Davis said.
However, the decision whether to have schools open or closed is ultimately up to instructional staff, Davis said.
鈥淪afety is always a big deal,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to make sure that our school (grounds) are clean, safe, kids can walk on them.鈥�
Mercedes, meanwhile, said crews regularly recheck routes and ensure there aren鈥檛 icy spots. His role in getting schools cleaned up after winter weather involves a sacrifice 鈥� time away from his wife and young son.
鈥淪ometimes, it鈥檚 hard when it snows,鈥� Mercedes said, 鈥渂ecause my wife, she has to clear up the snow. I wish I was there to help her. But, for the past couple days, I鈥檝e been staying in the hotel, and it鈥檚 tough. I wish I was there with her to help her.
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