City of St. Helens Public Works Crew Responds to Severe Winter Weather

This past weekend, the City of St. Helens Public Works crew was on the front lines responding to a storm that dropped significant snow and freezing rain throughout the region. During the four-day event while they worked hard to keep the St. Helens community safe, the Public Works crew faced icy conditions, accidents, power outages, broken equipment, and more. Continuous heavy snowfall made keeping up with accumulation a difficult task, but Public Works employees worked all hours of the day, on their weekend and on a holiday to clear roads and ensure everyone’s safety.
 
Thank you to the members of the City of St. Helens Public Works crew who spent their holiday weekend away from their families, dealing with the extreme weather and dangerous conditions. The long hours they worked to keep the streets clear for emergency vehicles and first responders keeps our city safe. It takes a lot of work to respond to emergencies as they happen, and even more to do so while maintaining the city’s water supply and sewers – even without power at times!
 
What exactly does it take to keep a city going during a major weather event? Here’s a peek at what managing a snowstorm looks like in real-time for the City of St. Helens’s Public Works Department.
 

February 11

• Public works prepares all emergency vehicles for snow & ice, including chaining up tires, fueling vehicles and checking chainsaws.
• An action plan is put in place for upcoming inclement weather.

February 12

• Heavy snow begins. City Hall, Public Library, and Recreation Center are closed due to the weather.
• 7:00 am - Public Works crew called into work to sand hills and intersections throughout the city. Three sanders and three backhoes are deployed for sanding and plowing throughout the day. Sidewalks adjacent to City Hall and the Columbia Boulevard hill below Lewis and Clark Elementary School are de-iced.
• 12:30 pm -  An issue with fluctuating water pressure across the city is identified and addressed quickly, resulting in no damage.

February 13th

• 4:30 am - 9 crew members are called in to deal with the significant snowfall across the city; all sanding and plowing equipment is deployed.
• 5:00 am - Public Works responds to broken traffic light at South 18th street and Old Portland roa.
• 11:00 am - Snow is falling faster than plows and sanders can keep up. Crews switch to limited sanding to avoid wasting rock that keeps getting buried under new snowfall
• 6:45 pm - Equipment is refueled and prepped for later use. After an over 14 hours day, crews go home to rest.

February 14th

• Throughout the day  - On call for emergency response.
• Throughout the day - Continued sanding and plowing to keep up with snow.
• Throughout the day - Checked well levels throughout the day.

February 15th

• 3:15 am - Large power outage in the city. Public Works crew is called in to check wells, reservoir levels, and pump stations manually until power is restored. Wastewater Treatment Plant is switched to generators.
• 3:45 am – Citywide sanding and plowing resumes. Multiple stuck vehicles are assisted throughout the day.
• 6:40am - Power is restored to most of the city.
• 8:00 am - Columbia Blvd. is closed for stuck vehicle until 10:00 am.
• 8:10 am - Public Works clears fallen tree across Noble Street.
• 10:30 am - Public Works removed a tree fallen across Kelly street.
• 1:45 pm - Downed line removed from Tualatin street at South 10th street.
• 2:45 pm - Temporary stop signs placed at Highway 30 and St. Helens Street until 5:00 p.m.
• Throughout the day -

  Public Works crew clears several blocked driveways for disabled and elderly citizens

February 16

• 7:00 am - Public Works crew shovels and de-ices sidewalks at City Hall, plows City parking lots, and clears the downtown Plaza Square. Crews respond to reports of black ice from Columbia River Fire and Rescue and St. Helens Police Department.
• 9:00 am - Crews remove a tree fallen across Firlok Park Boulevard
• Throughout the day - Crews respond to stuck cars, more downed trees, etc. Crews haul away snow piles to clear catch basins and prevent flooding.

As the week continues, Public Works also continues to clear snow and debris left behind by the storm. Rapid melting and heavy rain may continue to cause issues in the area. Public Works will continue its work of staying on top of and ahead of any issues that may arise.
 
Public Works Director Mouhamad Zaher says of Public Works, “Our crew has done a tremendous job in staying safe and keeping our citizens safe. I am so proud of our crew. They left their families for a lot of hours on a 3-day weekend with no complaints and did an amazing job.”
 
The City of St. Helens joins Public Works Director Zaher in thanking our Public Works employees for their hard work to keep our community safe.