2015-2016 Snow Removal Operations

1. A Fairfax County, VA, publication
Department of Public Works and Environmental Services
Working for You!
2015 -16 Snow Removal Operations
November 18, 2015

2. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
Balancing Act
2
Water Quality
Resources
User Desires &
Expectations
Weather

3. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
2014-15 Winter Weather
• More events compared to 2013-14
• More small events 19 one-day events compared to
10 one-day events for 2013-14
• 11 events for freezing rain or ice
• Less snow but the western part of the county experienced
14 inches above the average
3
MSMD Winter Weather DOC Activations and/or Responses
Winter
Weather
Season
Total No of
Events
No of
Events <
1 day
No of
Events >
2 days
Total No
of Days
No of
Freezing
Rain and/or
Ice Events
Total
Snowfall
IAD
Historical
Average
Snowfall
IAD
Total
Snow Fall
DCA
Historical
Average
Snowfall
DCA
2014-15 25 19 6 32 11 35.9" 22" 18.3" 15.4"
2013-14 20 10 10 36 0 52.8" 22" 32" 15.4"

4. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
Why Was the 2014-15 Winter Different?
• A significant number of “High Impact Storms”
– Smaller storms (more difficult to forecast)
– Little or no accumulation
– Very cold temperatures
• February 2015 coldest month in more than 20 years regionally
– Road temperatures 20 degrees or lower
– Combined with rush hour traffic
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5. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
Our Snow Captains
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Bobby Kerns Jonathan Murray
Richard Latimer Dave Snyder

6. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
Role of Snow Captains
• Open Department of Operations
Center (DOC)
• Manage snow removal operations
– 12- hour shifts - Team A and Team B
– Scalable teams
• Monitoring weather
• Manage equipment
• Ensure employee safety & training
• Communicate directly with County
leadership and liaisons
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7. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
Maintenance and Stormwater Management Division, DPWES
Scope of Operations
• 152 Building Complexes
– Vehicular Travel Ways
– ADA Compliance
– Critical Walkways
– Non-Critical Walkways
• 75 Roadway Segments
– County Roads
– Developer Default Roads
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8. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
Maintenance and Stormwater Management Division, DPWES
Operational Resources
• MSMD
– Staff – Up to 50 per shift
– Equipment - Approximately 18 drivable pieces
– Contract Support – Valley Crest
• Wastewater Collections
– Staff – Up to 20 per shift
– Equipment –
• Eight MSMD Snow Blowers Assigned
• Solid Waste
– Staff - Up to 40 per shift
– Equipment –
• Two MSMD trucks assigned
• Several MSW pickups harnessed for plows
• DVS
– Typically two mechanics
• Community Labor Force
– Up to 35 volunteers and seven sheriff deputies
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9. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
Maintenance and Stormwater Management Division, DPWES
Key Resource Challenges
• Approximately one plow per 12
complexes
• Facilities are spread across a
large geographic area –
– Good weather travel time vs.
BAD weather travel time
• Only three locations for staging
and chemical storage
• Timing of the event
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• Equipped/staffed for 4” to 8” event – beyond this we’re pretty stretched

10. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
Maintenance and Stormwater Management Division, DPWES
Applying Resources Efficiently
• Solid Waste I-66 Transfer Station
handles vehicular & pedestrian areas at:
– Alliance Drive / MPSTOC
– Transfer Station
– Government Center Complex
• MSMD is assigned all other vehicular
areas throughout the County including
Park & Ride / Commuter Lots.
• Solid Waste I-95 handles walkways in
Area “D”
• Wastewater Collections handles
walkways in Area “C”
• Contracting handles walkways in Area
“A” and “B”
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A
C
D
B

11. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
Maintenance and Stormwater Management Division, DPWES
BOS-Approved - Order of Site Priority
• Priority 1 Sites (75)
– Police Stations / Gov’t Centers (17)
– Fire Stations (31)
– Mass Transit Facilities (16)
– Public Safety Center/MPSTOC (10)
– Emergency Services (1)
• Priority 2 Sites (36)
– Health Centers/24-hr Shelters (21)
– Other Essential Facilities (15)
• Priority 3 Sites (41)
– Libraries (21)
– Community Centers / Others (20) (Fire Training
Academy, Police Training Academy, etc.)
• Priority 4 Sites (75)
– Neighborhood Roads (47)
– Developer Default Roads (24)
– Other (4)
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12. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
Maintenance and Stormwater Management Division, DPWES
Phases for Walkway Efforts
• Phase 1
– Handicap Parking
– Accessible Routes
• Phase 2
– Main on-site walkways
• Phase 3
– Non-critical on-site walks
– Adjacent ROW sidewalks
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13. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
Maintenance and Stormwater Management Division, DPWES
What You Can Expect
• During the Event (snow is falling)
– 75 Priority 1 Sites
– Only plow travel ways
– Handicap parking
– Phase 1 walkways
• After the Event (snow stopped falling)
– Total site cleanup at all 152 sites
– Phase 2 & 3 walkways
– 75 road segments
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14. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
Maintenance and Stormwater Management Division, DPWES
Operational Targets
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County Facility or Government
Campus Site
0 to 2 inches 2 to 6 inches 6 to 9 inches
Ice and Freezing
Rain
County Government Center
includes Herrity and Pennino Building
Up to 6 hours after the
storm ends
Up to 8 to 12 hours after the
storm ends
Up to 12 to 24 hours
after the storm ends
Up to 6 hours after the
storm ends
Public Safety Center
- MPSTOC
- Courts and Detention Centers
- Pine Ridge EMCC
Police District and Fire Stations
Magisterial District Offices Up to 6 hours after the
storm ends
Up to 12 hours after the
storm ends
Up to 18 to 24 hours after
the storm ends
Up to 6 hours after the
storm ends
Commuter Parking Lots Up to 6 hours after the
storm ends
Up to 12 hours after the
storm ends
Up to 18 to 24 hours after
the storm ends
Up to 8 hours after the
storm ends
Health Centers and
Essential County Facilities
Up to 12 hours after
the storm ends
Up to 18 hours after the
storm ends
Up to 24 hours after the
storm ends
Up to 12 hours after the
storm ends
Libraries, Community Centers
and other Facilities Up to 12 hours after
the storm ends
Up to 12 to 18 hours after the
storm ends
Up to 1 day to 2 days
after the storm ends
Up to 12 to 18 hours after
the storm ends
Road Maintenance and
Improvement and subdivisions in
Developer Default
Up to 1 day after the
storm ends
Up to 1 to 2 days after the
storm ends
Up to 2 to 3 days after
the storm ends
Up to 1 day after the
storm ends

15. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
Maintenance and Stormwater Management Division, DPWES
Snow Operations Planning
• Committed Staff Teams
• Snow-worthy Equipment
• Stock Material
• Update Snow Operational Plan
• SOP to Protect Water Quality
• Communication Plan
– Outreach
– Liaisons
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16. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
Maintenance and Stormwater Management Division, DPWES
Role of Agency Liaisons
• Understand what we do
• Communicate with their
facilities
• Help Snow Captains
understand agency priorities
within the Board approved
snow removal priority system
• Liaison partnership
– MSMD Phone Number
703-877-2800
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Emergency
Operations Center
(EOC)
MSMD
Department
Operations
Center (DOC)
Board of
Supervisors
Liaisons
Agency Liaisons
Agency Heads
DOC Liaisons
Emily Abbott Carolyn Weber

17. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
Maintenance and Stormwater Management Division, DPWES
Preparations
• Prepare Equipment & Staff
– Training staff on safety and
equipment
– Self-help barrels
– Parking lot staking
– Brine solution
• Monitor the Weather
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18. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
Maintenance and Stormwater Management Division, DPWES
Wrinkles to the Operational Plan
• Mechanical breakdowns
• Parking lot, personal property, and
equipment damage
• Confusion on the part of citizens
regarding VDOT/County plowing
responsibilities
• Requests to deviate significantly from
the Snow Plan during a storm event
(bypassing liaisons)
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19. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
Maintenance and Stormwater Management Division, DPWES
Cornerstones for Success
• Dedicated Staff (and their families!)
• Early Preparations
– Pre-Season
– Pre-Storm
• Good Communication
– Internal Partnerships
– External Expectations
• A Little Bit of Good Luck
– Weather, Timing & Traffic
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20. 2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
Maintenance and Stormwater Management Division, DPWES
Questions?
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21. Additional Information
For additional information, please contact
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes
2015-16 Snow Removal Operations
21
Irene Haske, Public Information Officer
703-324-5821, TTY 711
SWPDmail@fairfaxcounty.gov