BrightView Snow and Ice Services - Winter Storm Stella

Video Transcription

BrightView snow and ice services - Winter Storm Stella

CAPTIONS:

On March 14, 2017, Winter Storm Stella hit the Northeast, closing schools and government offices from D.C. to Boston, suspending public transportation, and causing the cancellation of more than 6,000 flights.

The storm's heavy snow, sleet, and gusting winds wreaked havoc across several states, with snow totals ranging from a few inches to several feet.

BrightView branches in the path of the storm began planning in advance and mobilizing teams and equipment before the first flakes hit the ground.

TIM RUSSELL, BrightView Vice President of Operations:

In a storm like Stella, it's pretty widespread and the conditions vary from market to market; so in Virginia, we're receiving ice and rain, while it's all the way up to multiple feet of snow in New England. We identify the resources that are needed, talk to clients, and mobilize as necessary, depending on the conditions. With our resources, we have everything and anything capability-wise to handle storms like Stella. We spend a lot of time moving things around to make sure that we are covered with resources needed for clients.

Our teams respond to many sites that need to be open 24 hours a day - they do not close - like pharmaceuticals, hospitals, and high-end residentials as well, where people need access at all times, such as first responders and things of that nature, who live in those communities. We go above and beyond; our teams take great pride and go through some heroic efforts to keep those places open in a storm like Stella and with the conditions that change hour-by-hour - the heavy winds that were in this storm and the change from ice to snow to rain - they take a lot of pride and keep our sites very clean and accessible at all times.

Because of the different sites we have, we have all kinds of different equipment, everything from a small area that's done by hand all the way up to roadways and parking lots. For the small areas have snowblowers, generally operated by one man. For sidewalks and tight areas, you have a skid steer, which is a small bucket machine that has either a bucket on it or a broom. The broom is used for more delicate types of surfaces - pavers or granite - so that they don't do damage to that. We have trucks with plows, which plow roadways and parking lots. The trucks also spread ice melt material with salt and calcium. We have everything, even up to a 5-yard wheel loader, which has a bucket on it, and also pusher boxes, which handles mountains of snow at any given time.

In the urban environments, such as downtown Boston, downtown New York City, or Philadelphia, we do have the ability to move snow out with hauling equipment. We run snowblowers right alongside of large tri-axle dump trucks to haul the material out to an area offsite. Safety during snow removal is paramount. That is really what we're there for: to handle a risk-management type of situation. Our clients want us onsite prior to the snow, making plans and being ready for any types of situations to make sure the sites are accessible. Safety of our people is also incredibly important. We spend a lot of time training our folks on proper snow removal procedures, training on the equipment, and also making sure that we're taking care of each other and watching out for each other.

At BrightView, we have the proper people, processes, and equipment in order to keep you and your community or property safe and accessible during snow season, whether it's rain, sleet, or feet of snow.