With another winter, upon us, cities’ snow removal plans are being put to the test. While the Northeast has had an unusually mild winter so far, a winter storm blanketed much of the Great Plains in several feet of snow last month. Now, parts of Alaska are experiencing some of the most intense snow the region has ever seen. Over 15 feet of snow has fallen in the City of Cordova, Alaska, causing a serious shortage of, of all things, shovels. The National Guard has been assisting the city in its snow removal efforts.
Even farther north, the race is on to Nome, Alaska. Famous as the finish line for the Iditarod, this year it is more eagerly anticipating the arrival of fuel than of dogsleds. Recent storms have delayed the annual shipment of their winter fuel supply, and now Renda, a Russian tanker, is pushing her way to Nome through thick sea ice with the help of a Coast Guard icebreaker. In addition to 1.3 million gallons of fuel, Renda is bringing medication and other critical supplies to the remote community.
Although few communities face the same winter challenges as Nome, many local governments know they need to be prepared for snow removal. Even in states familiar with heavy snow, many communities learned last year that proper preparation is important to making it through a tough winter. For resources to support your snow removal planning use Knowledge Network documents and articles like these: