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As temperatures at long last soared into the 40s and occasional 50s and patches of green appeared on campus lawns, it was almost possible to forget the severe wintry weather that had assailed Boston College.
Almost.
Employees in Facilities Services, Dining Services, Health Services, Athletics, the BC Police Department, and Office of Residential Life, University Libraries, among others, certainly weren’t about to forget, nor are they likely to any time soon.
Although it’s an academic institution, Boston College also is a working community with numerous administrative, service and infrastructural operations. All were sorely tested this winter, with record snowfall and unusually cold temperatures, particularly from late January through the end of February. BC was forced to cancel classes and close offices four times, and delayed opening until 10:30 a.m. on another day.
Now, with the end of winter here (cool temperatures and leftover snow notwithstanding), these employees are reflecting on the multitude of overtime hours – some of which necessitated bunking on campus overnight – and challenges in keeping BC operating as smoothly as possible. It’s all part of the job, they say, made easier by patience, perspective, a little humor and, most of all, a faith in their fellow workers.
“We’ve got a very good team in here and when an emergency occurs, we come together very well,” says Dining Services’ Edgar Filho, a cook in Corcoran Commons and a 13-year employee. “It’s like in a hospital; if you get sick, a hospital is open for you 24 hours a day. And we are almost the same way – we are here almost 24 hours a day for the students.”
“When you’ve got unprecedented weather events such as those we’ve seen, it’s a race to put things together and be prepared,” says Boston College Police Lt. Jeffrey Postell. “You’re playing chess with an unknown opponent – you just don’t know what you’re going to get. But the preparation here is not a by-the-seat-of-the-pants operation: It’s well-organized, thought-out and relies on the great teamwork we have here at BC.”
“Things can get chaotic at times,” says 26-year Facilities Services veteran Jack Coleman, who has worked in grounds and carpentry. “But in the end, it works.”
His fellow 26-year Facilities colleague Mark Dalton agrees: “If you step back and really look at everything, the amount of work that gets done – and in a short time – is very impressive.”
One way to grasp the scope of BC’s weather-emergency operations during the winter is to look at some hard numbers, courtesy of Facilities Services (reported on March 13): University crews used 1,062 tons of bulk road salt and 50 tons of bagged material for snow and ice removal, and hauled some 60,000 yards of snow from Main Campus to the “snow farm” on Brighton Campus – approximately 2,400 truckloads.
Another meaningful statistic is the numbers of BC Dining Services employees who stayed overnight on campus due to the four major snowstorms: Jan. 26 (55), Jan. 27 (25), Feb. 2 (21), Feb. 9 (45), Feb. 10 (31). Filho and his fellow BCDS staffers look back on 16 to 17-hour days that ended with sleeping accommodations in such locations as the Heights Room of Corcoran Commons, the McElroy Commons Faculty Dining Room or the Stuart Hall faculty lounge on Newton Campus, on air mattresses or cots with bedding supplied by the BC housekeeping department. (Maloney Hall was another rest area, mainly for Facilities and BC Police employees.)
“Everybody helped each other,” says Dorita Angelats, a cashier at the Stuart Hall dining facility. “They were long days and long hours to work, but we were good. Our managers and directors came and made sure we were comfortable. They provided us with a place to stay, air mattresses, cots, couches, and blankets.”
Says McElroy Commons Manager Donna Coleman, “It’s just automatically ingrained in us: If we have any serious snowstorms or any kind of emergency, the students have got to eat. Where are they going to go? We’ve got to have somebody here to feed them, and get it taken care of. When you work in Dining Services or any kind of service industry, you automatically just go into that that mode.”
When it comes to numbers, four is a significant one for Joseph Reardon, who’s worked in grounds and landscaping for 18 years at the University: “That’s how many hours it takes to clear the snow on Lower Campus during a storm,” he says. “And then you start over.”
Roads and walkways have to be kept clear, of course, but drains and fire hydrants, too. Typically, there are two-man teams out to work on stairs and handicapped ramps. Perhaps the most demanding spot is the lengthy Higgins Stairs (its nickname is “the punishment stairs”) but Conte Forum is challenging, too. Meanwhile, the Alumni Stadium “bubble” – the special enclosure used during cold weather months – needs to be constantly monitored by Athletics Maintenance staff so it doesn’t puncture or deflate.
Of course, even as Facilities employees dealt with campus snow removal, their own driveways, sidewalks and homes were facing the wrath of winter. “Fortunately,” quips carpenter Joseph O’Brien, a 16-year BC employee, “we tend to be drawn to strong women.” [His comment elicits chuckles from his colleagues, but all agree that their spouses and significant others are more than capable of handling the job.]
The tough part about this winter was that there was almost no melting between storms, says Dalton. “So that means you’re trying to shovel out places and throwing the snow over banks that are six, seven feet tall – and your arms feel like lead.” He and other employees add, however, that their supervisors were careful to make sure that crews got sufficient rest and downtime.
Therein lies the test for Facilities, as well as BC Police and other departments – tending to day-in, day-out operational needs even while dealing with the extraordinary conditions of a winter storm. “You’re not just waiting around for an emergency,” says carpenter Nick Mastropoll. “You have things to do, and you can’t let them build up on you.”
The security of residence halls “is always the highest priority,” notes O’Brien. “If you have an external door that’s not closing properly, or a window that doesn’t shut, you have to give it your attention.” Crews also have to minimize the accumulation of snow and ice on roofs, during and after storms, and be quick to fix any leaks.
“It’s about being pro-active and visible,” says Postell of BC Police’s snow emergency procedures. “You need to do facilities and building checks, maintain roadways – there might be a fire or medical emergency – but mainly you want to check in with people around campus. It really provides a sense of comfort for them to know that there are professionals around, helping to make sure they’re safe.”
Do they feel the community values their efforts?
“We saw that the management really appreciated what we had done,” says Jair DaSilva, a cook in McElroy Commons. “A lot of students came to us and asked, ‘Are you open today?’ When we said we were, they would say, ‘Oh, thank you so much, we appreciate it. How are you guys sleeping? Are they taking care of you?’ So the students really care about us, too.”
Adds Postell, “We have a whole wall of home-made cards from students, faculty and staff telling us that we’re basically unsung heroes. It’s rewarding to know your work doesn’t go unnoticed.”
Executive Vice President Michael Lochhead, who is wrapping up his first year at BC, certainly has been impressed.
“These recent weeks have been an ordeal for many of us, but it is our operations staff who have had the greatest of demands placed on them: keeping walkways and roads clear, maintaining our buildings and facilities, ensuring public safety, and most of all, seeing to the needs of our students.
“Their dedication, professionalism and commitment to our mission to educate, nurture and care for our students is truly impressive and a fundamental cornerstone to the special community we have here at BC.”
Sean Hennessey contributed to this story