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By Megan Holmes, PGMS Headquarters

Taking a Look at How PGMS Members Coped with Isabel

One of the biggest storms to hit the east coast in recent memory came to us this year with the innocent name of Isabel. Hurricane force winds and torrential rains falling during an already wet season can wreck havoc on grounds managers. Fortunately most of our members came out of the storm with only minor damage, but I have spoken to a number of them to find out some tips and lessons learned when dealing with destructive weather.

Joseph Jackson, CGM is the assistant director for facilities management at Duke University. His staff relied on their inclement weather contingency plan before, during and after the storm. All essential personnel were on call because there is a hospital on campus and it was imperative that the roads stay clear. “We had learned from Fran and the December Ice storm that erosion and runoff might be a problem, so we sandbagged the emergency roads that were prone to flooding,” said Jackson. He also stated that it is important to keep detailed documentation of expenses, including man hours, damage to structures, replacement of trees, damage to landscape and contractors fees. All of this had to be turned in to the administration because this storm was an unexpected cut into the budget.

Hillwood Museum and Gardens houses many specimen trees that could have been a big loss if damaged. Liz Dolinar, Director of Horticulture, attributes their success at weathering the storm to the $40,000 worth of tree upkeep, including pruning and cableing that they perform on an annual basis. She also notes that “Anything that could be put away or brought inside, was.”

Roger Conner, the Buildings and Grounds Supervisor for University of Virginia Health System, stressed the need for equipment readiness. “We made sure we checked and gassed up our chainsaws and vehicles. We also checked the sump pumps, drains and gutters to prevent flooding.” Conner also called ahead to local arborists to make sure they would be able to assist with chipping.

Many of the techniques mentioned above were also employed at Gallaudet University by grounds manager Jeffrey Weiser. Weiser, being acquainted with hurricanes from living in Hawaii, spoke of the value of constant monitoring during the storm. His team cycled the campus checking doors, windows, keeping roadways open and making sure things were secured properly. Weiser said, “We were fortunate that many alumni donated money for tree replacement. As a new person on campus I had the opportunity to witness the good side of people and make new friends.”

Looking to the human angle, David T. Campbell, the associate manager of buildings and grounds for Fannie Mae, made sure his team reported hourly to the internal command center. He also stated it is important that your crew get enough sleep. Campbell said, “Our management insisted on staying awake even after the storm lessened in severity. We would have been better served resting once it died down.” He also suggested taking stock of the large trees condition prior to the storm for comparisons sake.

Of course, one would hope that you would never have to deal with a hurricane, but if one should come your way, take the advice of those who have been through it and remember these tips.

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