By Patrick Burles - @PatrickBurles on Twitter

Taking it to the streets: How snow fighters dig out Lethbridge

Feb 17, 2017 | 11:05 AM

LETHBRIDGE – City of Lethbridge employees who operate the machinery that clear our roadways of snow and ice, are busy catching up on some much needed rest in the wake of an early February snowstorm.

With a warm(ish) chinook blowing through southern Alberta and helping to melt the build up of snow, Transportation Operations Coordinator, James Nicholls, met with Lethbridge News Now. Not surprisingly, it took some time to set the interview up, as Nicholls and his crew of equipment operators worked round-the-clock to keep city streets passable. With the end in sight, you could visibly see the relief that was beginning to sink in.

He started by going over an average shift whenever we see heavy snow, explaining that operators generally work 12 hour days, going from 1 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. — neither of which makes for a great social life for the duration of the storm.

“Usually our guys accept that whenever we have a major snow event, that they’re not gonna get to see loved ones or any of their friends in general for several days,” said Nicholls at the City’s Fleet Services facility on the north side. “They understand that’s part of the job, we’ve all signed up for this work. It can be difficult at times to think long-term and think that this is what we’re meant to be doing and this is what we signed up for, but usually guys, they’re pretty good.”

Nicholls himself has operated various pieces of equipment over the years, and when asked about any particular memories that stand out, he immediately flashed back to a frigid December night.

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“I always think back to a couple years ago, we were running on Christmas Eve, and myself and a couple other operators, you know, were working right up until the end and trying to keep those priority one routes open. You’re thinking, I’d love to be at home right now and I’d love to be spending time with my family, but you know you’ve got to get the job done,” said Nicholls.

When considering the difficult hours they work, the strain it can put on their home life, and the weather and traffic obstacles that can build frustration, Nicholls was asked how and why they keep doing what they do.

“Sometimes you’ll see people, when you’re on the job-site, when you’re going through a residential neighbourhood — sanding or something like that — you’ll get a thumbs up from somebody or just a big wave, saying ‘thanks for what you’re doing,’ and that’s always nice to get,” Nicholls explained. “When you get those occasional, ‘Hey, thanks for getting out there,’ especially when times are difficult, it is appreciated.”

Nicholls went on to note that for the drivers who operate snow plows, sanders, loaders and every other vehicle that helps us get around, there is a special connection that comes from having to step-up under difficult conditions.

“We always deal with challenges, you know, sometimes you’re dealing with very difficult situations, but the guys really tend to stick together and come together, they know the job needs to get done, we all have a sense of what the end goal is and what we’re here to do,” he said, with an apparent sense of pride in his voice. “You have those moments, guys get a little testy and they get on each others nerves, but for the most part everyone sticks together and we just do what we have to do.”

So the next time you’re struggling through the ice and snow and come across a City crew, maybe give them a wave, they could probably use it.