Chad Oxton is an operations manager in Coastal Virginia. Having grown up in Maine and spent a winter in Alaska, Chad knows snow and ice. As an operations manager in Virginia, though, snow is an infrequent visitor that Chad loves to see. Not everyone agrees with Chad. With 17 years of public works operations experience, Chad has leveraged his experience in combatting “nuisance snow” into a cohesive plan that he uses to train, prepare, stock, staff, plan, execute, and communicate to his management team and community. This presentation will discuss the challenges faced by communities that experience intermittent freezing rain/sleet/snow events with a focus on training staff, stocking material, prepping equipment, communicating the plan, and executing the plan in a safe and cost-effective manner.
At the conclusion of this session, participants will be better able to:
• Develop a cyclical training and maintenance plan for new and experienced staff to ensure that, when they shift from maintenance to snow and ice fighting, their crews are trained and safe in their efforts.
• Make informed decisions related to material purchases and storage, including salt, sand, and brine. The presenter will also discuss
the City of Suffolk’s initiative and experience with purchasing brine-making units and sprayers.
• Create their own cold winter maintenance plan(s) that includes staffing, equipment, and materials so they can keep their chain of command and communities informed of what to expect.
Contributor/Source
Chad Oxton
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Proficiency Levels
Introductory
Focuses on a general or broad overview of the topic, awareness of basic factual recall. Limited experience of the subject matter is necessary to understand content areas.
Applied
Focuses on practical implementation of technical steps or strategies, some prior knowledge and experience of the topic is necessary.
Advanced
Mastery of basic concepts associated with an area has been obtained. Focuses on understanding nuances, advanced concepts, and intricacies with implementation within knowledge area. Strong understanding of how the concept impacts other factors or areas of operations.
Program Types
APWA Guides
APWA Guides provide guidance to public works professionals on a specific a topic.
CLL
Click, Listen & Learn (CLL) are interactive educational webinars. Each program is led by top experts in the field who share new ideas, methods, and technologies in a fast-paced two-hour time frame. These programs are available free to APWA members. CLL programs are eligible for continuing education units (CEUs).
Primer
Primers are used to educate policymakers about public works roles and responsibilities in public rights of way, the impact of federal workforce development policies on the industry and workforce, and the importance of resilient infrastructure.
PWX
PWX session recordings cover a wide variety of topics, including integrating modes of transportation, traffic and transit, construction management, emergency management, engineering and technology, fleet and facilities, management, parks and grounds, snow and ice control, and stormwater/flood control, as well as solid waste, roads and bridges and water/wastewater. PWX sessions are eligible for continuing education units (CEUs).
Reporter Articles
APWA Reporter articles are written by public works practitioners on subjects such as solid waste management, water resources, municipal engineering, transportation, equipment services, buildings and grounds, snow removal, and other public works-related topics.
Snow
The Snow Conference session recordings feature public works professionals sharing the latest best practices in managing winter/snow operations more successfully, taking advantage of emerging technologies, understanding and preparing for the challenges ahead, and providing better service to their communities. Snow sessions are eligible for continuing education units (CEUs).
Tech Boxes
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Toolboxes are curated guides offering valuable tips on a variety of public works-related topics.