Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
‘We just do it’: Massachusetts plow drivers recount 24-hour shift during blizzard
Snow removal crews describe whiteout conditions, supply shortages, and 24-hour shifts after the Feb. 23 blizzard dropped up to 3 feet of snow across the state.
Days after the Feb 23 Massachusetts blizzard, some residential streets are still not fully cleared — even as plow drivers report working nonstop since early Monday morning.
The storm dropped 17 inches in Boston and up to 3 feet south of the city, stretching snow removal crews thin, forcing 24-hour shifts amid equipment repairs and ice melt shortages.
‘A big logistical spider web’ in Weymouth
At Plow Guys in Weymouth, franchisee owner Steve Curtis said preparation started nearly a week before the storm arrived.
Lingering supply shortages of ice melt and equipment repairs from January storms complicated the lead-up.
“It was real tough to get ice melt and get all your staff situated, your machines fueled up, fix everything that broke from the last storm,” Curtis said. “You’re lining up all your guys, and then you’ll line up replacement guys. It’s a big logistical spider web to make it all work.”
Advertisement:
When the snow started falling hard Sunday night — accompanied by 30 mph winds and snowfall rates of multiple inches per hour — there was no easing into the shift. It was all hands on deck.
“When it falls that fast, you’re gonna have trucks out there full time. I had guys go in at midnight and they ran non stop,” he said.
The Weymouth operation deploys seven trucks, multiple skid steers, and up to 20 shovelers per storm. Even with that manpower and machinery, he said, the goal was clear: throw everything at it and cleanup within 12 to 24 hours after snowfall stopped.
Advertisement:
“There were 30 mile an hour winds, multiple inches falling per hour. You set the expectation that we’re gonna throw everything at it and do the best we can,” he said. “And once it stops snowing, we’ll get you cleaned up within 12 to 24 hours.”
Blade down at 2 a.m.
At the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station, operations and territory manager James Opanasets dropped his first plow at 2 a.m. Monday.
The Quincy native and his crew plowed South Weymouth for 24 hours straight, until 2 a.m. Tuesday. After a brief break — just a two or three hour “cat nap” — they were back at it by 5 a.m.
He added he left Tuesday at midnight, and was back again at 5 a.m. Wednesday morning.
With snowfall totals pushing 25 inches in the area, stopping wasn’t an option — sleep deprivation be damned.
“Our first goal is to keep the roads open as much as possible,” Opanasets said.
How does he manage to operate on such little sleep?
“Adrenaline, coffee, Gatorade,” he laughed. “The best way to put it: we just do it.”
12-hour shifts that stretch longer
In South Boston, Michael Philip Garda, who founded South Boston Snow Removal in 2008, said the Feb. 23 blizzard required a diligent, round-the-clock approach.
Advertisement:
Crews began 12-hour plowing shifts at 4 a.m., followed by separate 12-hour snow removal shifts. Officially, shifts run 12 hours. But in reality, they often stretch much longer.
“If our guys want to work longer, we always offer overtime because they always work very hard. I am very fortunate to have the employees and subcontractors that my company has. We have a great network of people that like to work hard and just be good people — hard to find both and we have that.”
Staffing remains a challenge, Curtis added.
“It takes a lot of commitment to find people, because a lot of folks, they go out for 8, 10, 12 hours. When you get a blizzard like this … you’re taking time away from people’s families and what they do normally,” he said.
A thankless — but essential — job
Despite the exhaustion, Opanasets said moments of community appreciation keeps them going.
Opanasets recalled residents throwing a big wave and smiles, offering coffee and bathrooms — “We had one lady saying, ‘Hey, if you’re too tired to go home, I have a spare bedroom. You’re more than welcome to stay,’” he added.
Garda said plow drivers take pride in how a property looks once it’s cleared — even if complaints sometimes follow.
Advertisement:
“They work very hard and take much pride in the way a location looks once they have completed their work,” he said. “But this business is hard for that because it is a thankless job.”
Days after the Feb. 23 blizzard, the work is still not entirely done. Hydrants remain to be dug out. Walkways still need clearing. Snowbanks loom high along roadways.
But the roads are largely open. Garages are accessible. Essential workers made it to their shifts. Families can leave their homes.
“It can be a grueling process,” Opanasets said. “But that’s why we’re here — to help the community.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com