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Ahhhh, what a relief! Summer is in full swing and with the arrival of warmer weather one’s thoughts turn to an afternoon trip to the old ballpark, a drive to the ocean or swimming hole, or perhaps a weekend barbecue. For the responsible grounds manager, it is also a time to begin planning for the winter season and the challenges that cold weather can pose for grounds operations.

Successful planning begins with a winter preparedness plan, one that covers the proper management of personnel, equipment, and landscaping resources. If your facility doesn’t currently have a winter preparedness plan, sometimes called a snow removal procedures manual, it is not hard to initiate one. Plans range from the simple to the very detailed – most often they grow as further detail is added each year. However, even if your plan is simple, or you are just beginning to formulate one, clarity is the key. Specific areas of responsibility and expected outcomes should be clearly stated in order to have shared expectations concerning levels of service with grounds staff and your organization’s key decision makers. This plan should also be distributed to related departments, such as those related with public safety, communications, residents, etc.

THE KEY: STARTING EARLY
For many grounds managers, this plan is already well under way. Grand Valley State University (GVSU) Grounds Supervisor Ken Stanton, a Certified Grounds Manager (CGM), said his department’s preparation for winter months and the ensuing snowfall began in June with the purchase of road salt. Located on the eastern edge of Lake Michigan in Allendale, Mich., GVSU’s 500-acre campus sees an average 72 inches of “lake effect” snowfall annually.

However, most initial winter preparations take place in August and September as fall approaches. During this time the focus of many grounds professionals turns from turf and arbor care to activities related to combating snow and ice events, including securing competitive pricing for deicers and salt, preparing rental agreements for equipment to supplement the use of in-house tools, and finalizing contracts with outside vendors.

EQUIPMENT
As October approaches and with November nearing, the focus is on equipment, equipment, equipment. Dump trucks used for plowing and salting, tractors, pickup trucks, sanders, snowplows, snow blowers, salt spreaders, shovels, etc. are all inspected, repaired and readied for installation. Vassar College’s Jeff Horst, CGM said, “Once all the equipment is loaded, hooked up, and made ready to go, this is a good time to do a dry run for the fast approaching winter.” Horst, who serves in the position of Buildings and Grounds Director at the College in upstate New York, recommends using Thanksgiving as a deadline for such a “dry run.”

When it comes to preparing equipment two other topics must be considered in advance: equipment storage and advanced coordination with operators and mechanics.

It is recommended that mowers, string trimmers and spray equipment be cleaned, maintenanced and stored away for the winter in a separate location from the main storage area. Greg Nichols, assistant director of grounds at Bryn Mawr College in Bryn Mawr, Pa. said it is crucial that a facility’s operations manager appropriate the necessary resources since there is often an overlap during spring and fall months between the need to cut grass and snow removal for unexpected early- or late-season storms.

“Whether you are getting out your snow blowers or salt spreaders, you don’t want to be tripping over or having to navigate around mowers or trimmers that aren’t going to be used for months,” said Nichols.

An effective winter preparedness plan not only determines the most effective storage of equipment, but also provides a timeline detailing when and which team members are responsible for specific activities and areas of the grounds. Since winter weather events can differ in scopeb such a plan also describes the responsibilities of team members under different weather scenarios.

In addition, Horst recommends meeting with all equipment operators prior to severe storms. “I find that if these frontline people are involved in the planning phase that the operation goes much smoother than a manager simply scheduling the work,” he explained.

TURF AND PLANT CARE
In addition to readying equipment in the fallb it is equally important to prepare turf and landscaping for cooler weather. Keeping all plants healthy as they enter their dormant period is important to the results they will provide to you during the growing season. All trees and shrubs planted within the past three years should receive plenty of water – this decreases the chances for winter desiccation injury. A winter preparedness plan is helpful in this area because it should outline the correct plant for a certain location. For instance, Stanton pointed out large amounts of snow on the GVSU campus used to create excessive damage to shrubs. Thus, during spring and summer months time and money would have to be spent replacing these damaged shrubs.

A lesson learned the hard way, Stanton suggests combating this annual expense by converting existing shrub bed plantings to perennials and ornamental grasses, separate or mixed in with shrubs that were able to tolerate excessive snow loads. He also recommends reviewing landscaping plans for new buildings and areas to make sure that new beds consist of these winter-resilient materials mentioned above.

When it comes to turf care, salt is a primary concern. Especially along driveways and near low runoff areas, it is a good idea to aerate and apply gypsum. This helps soften the destructive accumulation of salt in the turf. “A soil profile that allows the salts to be flushed through it stands a better chance of survival than those that hold the salt for prolonged periods of time,” said Nichols, who oversees 60 acres of turf on the Bryn Mawr campus.

STAFFING
Perhaps the most important resource managed by a winter preparedness plan is your staff. While severe weather events often require 24-hour coverage by a facility’s grounds crew, this can stretch a facility’s staffing resources to the limits. To avoid injury the plan should put a limit on the number of hours employees can workb and supervisors should be monitoring crew members for proper foul weather clothing and checking with equipment operators to make sure they are alert and operating safely.

Other ideas employed to maintain employee safety and sanity during severe weather is to arrange sleeping quarters on site, to organize a pool of extra employees from other departments housed under the umbrella of facilities management (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, etc.), and to make emergency arrangements with outside contractors in advance.

Another key to preserving an operation’s grounds staff is to have the proper equipment. Purchasing the most efficient equipment is an investment in the well being of your grounds team. “This is an investment you just don’t want to skimp on,” said Nichols. “Spending more on equipment which gets the job done quicker will prevent your employees from getting as tired. Avoiding fatigue is crucial because it reduces the probability of injury to your workers.”

REVIEW
Regardless of how detailed or well planned your organization’s winter preparedness plan is, there should always be room for improvement. Were there any disasters or injuries this year? If so, how can the cause of such instances be mitigated in the future? It is critical to review the effectiveness of your plan, and to make any appropriate revisions based upon this retrospect. Any equipment or staffing turnover and resulting changes should also be noted in the plan.

It is never pleasant to think of winter during the summer months, but for those who want to maximize their grounds operations it is a necessary evil. However, with a well-thought-out winter preparedness plan in place, there will be a lot less stress and a lot more time for your thoughts to drift towards summer during those hardy winter months.