Facilities staff may prepare throughout the summer, anticipating the need to be fully organized and supplied by October 15 of each year.  

In mid-October, prior to the snow, ice, windstorm, and flood season, the Director of Facilities Services (FS), Associate Directors for Facility Services, and Landscape Maintenance Supervisor shall meet to review the inclement weather plan, ensure its accuracy, and recommend any changes. 

Before this annual review, storm-response equipment and materials (refer to Appendix G for this list) will be verified, supplies ensured, and all snow- and ice-related supplies and equipment inspected by each department’s respective supervisor.

The table below summarizes these responsibilities:

• Landscape and Maintenance Support mount cold weather/snow removal equipment
• Landscape staff prepares to sand walkways
• Facilities Service staff to sand and/or plow roads and parking lots, or arrange with contractor depending conditions and work load of FS staff
• Landscape and Maintenance Support staff place stockpiles of sand-filled buckets at various locations
• Supervisors schedule weekend/holiday overtime shifts, as needed
• Landscape staff empties vehicles of non-snow-related material
• Landscape staff stocks sand and deicer for easy access by departments
• Landscape Supervisor coordinates with Custodial Manager to distribute tools and supplies to Custodial staff 

• Ensures that employees are aware of the upcoming weather forecast
• Check supplies of winter gloves and yak tracks, order more if necessary, and then prepare them for distribution
• Ensures that Custodial Services has access to sand and/or deicer and flat shovels

• Confirms the operational status of spreaders
• Assists in installing snow implements

ATTENTION: Use of chemical deicer is not a primary strategy for snow and ice removal. Consult with the Landscape Supervisor, Associate Director of Environmental Services, or your supervisor before applying deicer, unless you have been instructed to apply it. 

• Highest priorities for clearing, sanding, and deicing to ensure accessibility to main entrances, exterior stairways, curb ramps, major walks & crosswalks, footbridges, designated building ADA access routes, and any walk surface greater than 5° of slope.  
• The main departments designated to clear snow are Landscape, Maintenance Support, and Custodial Services. Each department’s role depends on the time of day that the snow arrives. 
• At night, Custodial Services will clear building entryways, exterior stairs, and ADA access ramps that lead to the building of the custodian’s respective buildings, with the goal of having these areas cleared by the end of the graveyard shift, at 6:30 a.m.
• Beginning at 6 a.m., or prior if early shifts have been scheduled for the emergency, the Landscape Department will be the primary department responsible for clearing snow.
• Landscape Department removes accumulations and dispenses sand on paved areas.
• Solid Waste Department will have a second person ride in the garbage truck to assist with moving dumpsters.

• Highest priorities are clearing, sanding, and ensuring accessibility to main entrances, exterior stairways, curb ramps, major walks & crosswalks, footbridges, designated building ADA access routes, and any walk surface greater than 5° of slope.  
• The primary departments that will clear snow are Landscape Maintenance, Custodial Services, and Maintenance Support. Other departments may assist as available, including Moving Support and Mobile Equipment.  
• Landscape Maintenance will use a tractor to clear pickup areas in select locations (Appendix C), according to the day of the week.
• Solid Waste will have a second person ride in the garbage truck to assist with moving dumpsters.

• Snow clearing (if possible), sanding, and deicing priorities are limited to accessible main entrances, exterior stairways, and heavily-used building entries. This will be based on the priority facilities list and coordinated by the Landscape Supervisor.  

These routes are the primary transportation routes for the campus community.  These corridors are the highest priority for snow removal. See Appendix D for Inclement Weather Map.

• Main West/East Corridors
  • East 13th Avenue from Kincaid to Columbia Street
  • East 15th Avenue from University Street to Moss Street
• Main North/South Corridors
  • University Street from East 13th Avenue to East 18th Avenue
  • Agate Street from Franklin Boulevard to East 18th Avenue

 Landscape and Maintenance Support staff will inspect these buildings/locations at the beginning of the shift to assess conditions and respond, as needed: 

The rest of campus is visited and patrolled, as needed.

Custodial Responsibilities

Custodians will clear the exterior areas in front of their respective buildings, or as otherwise directed by their supervisor/coordinator. Supervisors and/or coordinators will spread sand outside their shift’s buildings, if necessary.

Building Systems Responsibilities:

• Inspect critical drains (both at ground and deck level)
• Disconnect exterior hoses
• Inspect all mechanical rooms for leaks
• Check set points for freeze alarms for AHU’s and pumps (Siemens)
•  Inspect all flat-top roofs in the science buildings (19)
• Inventory and inspect emergency equipment (including first aid)
• Inventory and order emergency supplies (deicer, sand, etc.)
• Check availability of crew for weekend and after hours