Indianapolis, IN
Indy DPW drivers prepping for the ‘snow fight’ with 12-hour shifts
INDIANAPOLIS — Salt and plow truck drivers work tirelessly through winter to keep the roads clear. Have you ever wondered how they prepare for their shift?
Indianapolis Department of Public Works is currently running twelve-hour rotating shifts. This is to keep up with multiple rounds of ice, snow, and cold temperatures.
WRTV went to the 11 a.m. shift change at one of the DPW’s buildings on Thursday.
WRTV
As B-shift employees exited the building, groups of A-shifters filtered in and waited for their group briefing.
“A shift, good morning, good morning!” greeted William Walker, superintendent of District 3.
Walker was speaking to the group of incoming A-shift employees. They gathered in a large circle around Walker. Some stood; others found benches or couches to lounge on through the meeting.
Walker described the forecast and potential impacts on all the workers.
“The game plan today is the weather advisory is in effect,” Walker said. “Snow expected late tonight, continuing into Friday morning. There’s a potential for sticking on untreated pavement.”
WRTV
Walker went on to take roll call and give drivers their assignments for the day.
“You’re going to get your trucks, check them out, make sure they’re fueled up, have salt in them,” Walker spoke to the group of drivers. “Ready to go when we deploy at three o’clock today.”
After the meeting, drivers went outside to the row of waiting salt and plow trucks. Some performed maintenance, others were doing walk-arounds to ensure all their equipment was working properly.
WRTV
Today’s challenge was the shifting weather: from treating for freezing drizzle in the morning to focusing on what they call the ‘snow fight’ in the evening.
Dewayne Clemmons, Chief Union Steward, shared what happens once the drivers are deployed.
“It depends on the inclement weather that we get,” Clemmons said. “We approach it differently.”
“There’s times that we’ve gotten so much snow that we just pause the salting, and just go strictly into a plowing operation, because at that point, all we’re doing is just wasting salt,” Clemmons continued.
WRTV
Adam Pinsker, spokesperson for DPW, shared more of the process.
“When the snow comes, they’ll be out plowing.,” Pinsker said of the crews. “That’ll start as soon as the first bit of snow comes down. It can be tricky because some parts of the city, like the last snow event we had, certain parts of the city got three or four inches, and other parts got less than two inches. So it does vary by where you are in Indianapolis.”
Decisions to pause salting and move to plowing come from the Operations team. This is communicated to the different districts and ultimately communicated to each driver.
Even though the group of drivers has a plan when leaving the briefing at the start of the shift, the plan often shifts as the forecast unfolds.
In Thursday night’s instance, A-shifters will continue plowing roads until 11 p.m., when B-shift returns for their next 12-hour shift.
The work doesn’t stop once the snow has been plowed.
“Then we go back to salting, to start breaking it up, and try to get it down to bare pavement,” continued Dewayne Clemmons.
From December 1 through April 1, drivers are not allowed to take scheduled vacations. This is in addition to working the rotating 12-hour shifts when the weather demands it.
WRTV
It’s a lot of work, but there is a support team for the drivers. There were countless other workers on-site at the changing of shifts.
“We also have Indianapolis Fleet Services. They’re there to make sure that these vehicles are maintenanced if there’s a problem,” Pinsker told WRTV. “We have laborers who work back here at the salt barns and in the facilities. We have supervisors who are out here, so it takes an entire team to support our drivers and make sure they have what they need to succeed in this snow fight.”
During the A-shift prep meeting, Clemmons encouraged the group.
“It looks like we may be in this until Sunday,” Clemmons said. “It don’t look like it’s going to be as long as our last snow fight. We do appreciate you guys coming in. We’re spending more time with each other than we’re spending with our own families. So again, it doesn’t go unnoticed.”
WRTV
What can everyday drivers do to help these hardworking DPW drivers during their next snow fight?
“When these trucks are out on the roads, just give them their space, because they’re trying to make the roads safe for the city of Indianapolis,” Clemmons concluded.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana State Police have arrested a man in connection with two attacks, including one deadly, near Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis earlier this month.
29-year-old Michael Willis is facing two counts of attempted murder. Police say that the attacks happened on June 19 and June 26, both happening on N Senate Ave. near Monument Circle.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by News 8, on June 19, Willis was walking in the area near Monument Circle around 2 a.m. when he approached a person laying down and repeatedly stomped on them. Police say that this first victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
The first victim died on Sunday due to their injuries sustained from Willis’s attack, documents say.
Police also say that on June 26, Willis attacked a different person at the same location near Monument Circle. Police believe that the second victim was repeatedly kicked and stomped on while they were lying down as well. This second attack also took place around 2 a.m.
Indiana State Police detectives shared surveillance photos of Willis from the attacks with other police agencies in an attempt to identify him. Police say Willis was identified by a Greensborough Police Sergeant after Willis had asked the sergeant to use his cell phone.
Police then approached Willis and detained him. Police say that when Willis was detained, he was wearing the same clothes that were seen in the surveillance footage of both attacks. Officers also noticed blood on Willis’s socks.
In an interview with detectives about the July 26 attack, Willis at first said that he was only “nudging” the victim. Police say that according to Willis, he was trying to wake the victim up because he was concerned about them.
Later in the interview, Willis admitted to attacking both victims. Willis said that he was frustrated that he had been homeless and unemployed for around the past 6 months. According to police, Willis also said that the people in the area were “mean and rude” to him.
Police say that Willis told detectives that he was the only person involved in these attacks.
Willis is currently in custody of the Marion County Jail.
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana is under a heat advisory with temperatures in the 90s throughout the week.
Many cooling centers will open throughout the state for those that need to find relief from the heat. Hoosiers looking to find cooling centers in their area can contact Indiana 211. To learn more, call 211 or (866) 211-9966.
Avaliable cooling centers can also be found by clicking here.
Marion County
For those living in Indianapolis, Indy Parks has several cooling centers across the city.
Those Cooling Centers are:
- Broad Ripple Park Family Center
- Brookside Park Family Center
- Christian Park Family Center
- Frederick Douglass Park Family Center
- Garfield Park Burrello Family Center
- Krannert Park Family Center
- Grassy Creek Environmental Education Center
- Pride Park Family Center
- Rhodius Park Family Center
- Riverside Park Family Center
- Stanley Strader Park Family Center
- Washington Park Family Center
- Windsor Park Family Center
- Watkins Park Family Center
- Thatcher Park Family Center
For addresses and hours of operations of these cooling centers, click here.
Beech Grove will also have two cooling Centers for residents starting Monday, June 29. Those hours and locations are:
- Beech Grove Senior Center, 602 Main St
- 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday through Friday
- Hornet Park Community Center, 5245 Hornet Ave
- 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday through Friday
Other Central Indiana Cooling Centers
For addresses and hour of operations of cooling centers below, click here.
Marion
- St. Martin Community Center
- Grant County Family YMCA
- Grant County Rescue Mission
Kokomo
- The Kokomo Rescue Mission
- The Excel Center in Kokomo
Peru
- Community Resource Center
- Miami County Courthouse
- Miami County Health Department
- Miami County YMCA
- Peru City Hall
- Peru Public Library
- Peru Schools Administration Building
INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — The National Weather Service out of Indianapolis has issued a Heat Advisory for all of Central Indiana and a High Heat Warning for parts of northern Indiana. The Advisory and Warning will go into effect at 12 PM on Monday and will run through 8 PM Thursday.
WRTV
A Heat Advisory means that temperatures in the 90s with dew points in the 70s, will lead to Heat Index values reaching 106. Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses.
Stay cool:
Drink plenty of fluids, check up on relatives and neighbors, and stay in an air-conditioned room when possible. If outside for extended periods of time, make sure to take frequent breaks in the shade as much as you can.
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