‘It’s just go, go, go’
Corner Brook snowplow operator says monumental snowfall in St. John's is challenging
CORNER BROOK — “It’s unreal, it’s an awful mess out there.”
In his 30 years of operating a snowplow, Todd White has never seen anything quite like it.
White was one of five City of Corner Brook employees deployed to St. John’s on Jan. 19 to help clear streets of snow during the city’s state of emergency.
Snowplow and snowblower operators White, Rick Kean, Morgan Hammond and Brian Dawe, as well as mechanic Mike Marks, all answered the call to assist the capital city dig out from its recent record snowfall.
White, 59, spoke to The Western Star by phone last Thursday about the crew’s first five days and the unique challenges the sheer volume of snow presented.
The Corner Brook crew worked 12-hour shifts. White and Kean handled the day shift while Hammond and Dawe took over during the nights.
Different crews were assigned to different areas.
The Corner Brook crew, along with crews from Gander and Grand Falls-windsor, was first tasked with cleaning up the Kenmount Terrace area. Their directive was to clear what they could in that neighbourhood.
Marks did any needed repairs for the three imported crews.
“He’s the one really keeping it all going, running between and coming up and checking on us when we’re out running snow, checking to see if the machine is running right,” said White.
During their shifts, work was almost constant. Some of the banks were up to 15 feet high and the blower often had to remove snow in layers, because it couldn’t handle it in one cut.
White said would lift the blower so it took about four or five feet off the top layer of snow. Then they lowered the blower and took off another layer, and continued the process as necessary.
“On Kenmount Road alone we had to do three cuts on each side,” he said.
In the early going, it was hard to tell how much progress was being made.
“You got no concept of time here because it’s just go, go, go,” he said.
Street signs and stop signs were covered in snow, making it harder to identify the exact location or give directions when in need of assistance.
“Mike, the mechanic, he calls me every now and then, asking me where I’m at,” said White. “I tell him it’s not good to ask me where I’m at, there’s no street signs. So, I tell him, ‘You knows what area I’m in, the best bet is to follow the blower cut and you’ll find me.’”
Despite the incredible task at hand, White was equally impressed by the kind treatment and gratitude they were shown from St. John’s staff and residents.
“The b’ys at the depot and the spotters are good as gold,” he said.
“They’re taking care of us. The supervisors and the foremen over at the depot, Dave Batten, Steve Noseworthy and John Burton, you couldn’t ask for any better. They’re always checking on you and making sure you’re OK, checking to see if you need anything.”
Meanwhile, residents leant a hand, with some even coming out and giving them bags of food.
White wasn’t sure how long they would be in St. John’s. They were told it could be up to two or three weeks, but it’s ultimately up to the City of Corner Brook when to call them back.
White said they’re willing to stay as long as they’re needed.