Chicago Weather Alert: CBS 2 Takes A Look Inside Public Works Department Snow Removal Command Central In Orland Park
ORLAND PARK, Ill. (CBS) – Snow continues to fall, and the plow trucks are out and about trying to keep the streets clear, but it's not an easy task.
CBS 2's Jackie Kostek went to Orland Park, where she got a look at what it takes to keep hundreds of miles of street clear.
She asked a snowplow driver on Wednesday on a scale of 1-10, 1 being a dusting, where this snowstorm would fall. And he said close to a 10. That is because this snow has been falling continuously for hours. She visited inside Orland Park's snow removal command central to see how they manage this kind of major event.
With every inch of snow that piles up in Orland Park, the Public Works department is working fast and furious to remove it.
"The green diamonds are actually trucks moving," said Joel Van Essen, Director of Public Works.
Inside the Public Works department command central, supervisors are able to track 44 snowplows in real-time as they crisscross 485 lane miles of village streets.
"You can see how many times they've been through the route and then they're working in the route right now," Essen said.
It's a good thing the map keeps track because, during a 16-hour shift, 13-year snow plow veteran Blake Harvey says there's no way he could.
"I lose track. I really do, especially with something like this that just keeps pounding us with the snow," Harvey said.
But Marco Ramirez and the crew working the Village Square parking lot and sidewalks aren't so lucky.
"I'm a little bit cold but we had our break not that long ago so we're ready to rock and roll," Ramirez said.
Even with icicles on his eyelashes...
"It's really fun. It's like driving a go-cart," he said.
Back at command central, crews will prepare to dump heavy amounts of salt as the snow begins to taper off.
A snow event like this requires all hands on deck - all 80 plus Public Works employees. For Van Essen, snow isn't something to dread. After all, this is what they do.
"I live for it because I know I have an outstanding crew and they take great pride in doing this work," he said.
Jackie: Mission snow removal?
Joel: Mission snow removal. It's the life of public works.
Van Essen says the plows will continue their work for at least eight hours after the snow stops falling.
