Winter weather prep
Facilities Management teams prepare for inclement weather
Facilities Management teams are preparing for the winter weather season.
Landscape Services crews started assembling their equipment and materials in early December, connecting all of the plows and salt spreaders to vehicles and staging materials in the University’s various zones.
Despite the closure of certain Academic buildings during the extended winter break, crews will continue to ensure roadways and walkways are cleared as soon as possible in the event of a winter weather event. This ensures staff working on Grounds can safely access buildings and allows for emergency vehicle access to the area.
“Even if [UVA] is completely empty, we do always need to maintain access for fire trucks and ambulances,” said Landscape Services Superintendent Rich Hopkins, who oversees the department’s inclement weather response.
Facilities Management has 14 truck plow routes, five salt spreader routes and five other plow routes that use smaller pieces of equipment. In addition, the team recently received a total of 865 bags of magnesium chloride, which is UVA’s standard ice melting material.
Customer Service Manager Brenda Buttner has also been preparing for the season by making arrangements with nearby hotels about housing staff overnight if needed, in addition to working with UVA Dining to provide food for staff during a snow event.
The UVA 2020-2021 Snow and Ice Control Plan outlines the department’s full plans.
Jane Centofante
Communications senior generalist
UVA Facilities Management
(434) 982-5846
janecentofante@virginia.edu