BELLBROOK — Municipalities across the region have been announcing their plans and preparations for this week’s winter storm, but the same goes for area landscape companies contracted to remove snow and ice from private homes and businesses.
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With the forecast calling for ice on top of snow, Bellbrook-based Wenzler Landscape Management told News Center 7 they are prepping their crews for some long days ahead removing the winter mess from properties they help manage.
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“We got 11 guys we’re running with and I told them prepare for three long days. I hope we don’t get all the ice they’re calling for, but I feel like it’s inevitable at this point.,” Nick Smith, owner of Wenzler Landscape Management told News Center 7′s John Bedell.
>>TRACK THE CONDITIONS: Live Doppler 7 Radar
As with public roads, driveways, sidewalks, and parking lots will deal with the same ice coating that’s expected from the freezing rain before the snow arrives across the area.
“I would rather have a foot of snow than any of this ice, any of this freezing rain stuff. Reason being, not only is it harder to treat because any other time, we’d go put down some salt ahead of time, we do that right now, it’s pretty much going to wash away and it’s pretty much useless,” Smith said.
But for Smith’s 11 drivers, he’s concerned not only with the ice, but also making sure they get rest and nourishment. His drivers will be working 12 to 14 hour shifts during the storm, but the ice adds an entire different level of concern for his workers.
“With ice yes. With snow no. We have enough weight on the trucks – we have enough salt on the trucks they do pretty good in snow. Now ice is a whole ‘nother ball game. Because four wheel drive doesn’t do four wheel stop,” he said.
Smith’s business is contracted to remove snow and place salt across areas in Bellbrook, Centerville, Kettering, and Springboro. During the storm system their drivers will prioritize medical buildings and businesses before driveways.
“So medical buildings and commercial properties come first. But then as soon as that’s done, we hit the driveways so people can do what they need to do,” Smith said.
But like public officials have said this week, Smith hopes the expected poor driving conditions will just force people to stay home.
“You also have people travelling. They obviously still have to travel but something like this I tell people if you don’t have to leave, don’t. It’s safer for everybody. It could be dangerous on the roads,” he said.