By: Edited by David Banasiak
Snow flakes, soft and delicate like fine lace
appear harmless as they flutter to the ground from a winter sky.
But as the saying goes there's strength in numbers, and when the
snow flakes begin adding up they can block interstates, close
airports and bring cities to a stand still. It's for these
reasons that it is important to know how to handle winter
storms.
One place where this knowledge can be learned is at
the American Public Works Association's (APWA's) 1997 North
American Snow Conference. This year the conference will be held
in at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo., April
27-30.
The conference begins Sunday afternoon with
roundtable discussions conducted by experts in the field. Vince
Mee, operations superintendent with the municipality of
Anchorage, Alaska returns to lead a discussion on adapting to
changes in winter maintenance techniques. Mee's roundtable at
the 1996 conference was so popular that people stood behind the
lucky ones who were able to get seats, in order to hear the
discussion.
Other roundtable discussions will cover such
topics as anti-icing equipment, urban plows with wings,
expanding the capabilities of RWIS and airport winter
maintenance. Michael Garrett, public works director for the city
of Spartanburg, S.C., will discuss snowfighting on the Snow
Belt's edge. This talk will help those working along the Snow
Belt, who rarely know what to expect when winter arrives.
The exhibits open that evening at 5:00 p.m. with a welcoming
reception from the Kansas City Metro Chapter of the APWA. Over
70 companies will be exhibiting the latest technologies and
innovations in snow and ice control.
Kansas City's Mayor
Emmanuel Cleaver will offer welcoming remarks at the opening
general session, Monday, April 28, at 8:30 a.m. This will be
followed by Bryan Busby, chief meteorologist, KMBC, Kansas City,
Mo., who will provide an insightful look at the weather
forecasting business.
Concurrent sessions will begin after
lunch and run through the afternoon covering such topics as
MnDOT's maintenance business planning program, which puts the
primary focus of their snow and ice removal program on the
customerÑthe driving public. Another sessions will cover the
global positioning and automated vehicle location systems being
tested in Northern Virginia.
Tuesday will begin with a
continental breakfast on the exhibit floor. The general session
will begin at 9 a.m. and feature a panel discussion, from
representatives in the industry, on anti-icing and deicing. The
focus of the discussion will center on the benefits and
drawbacks of magnesium chloride, calcium chloride and calcium
magnesium acetate.
The afternoon will be filled with
concurrent sessions on such topics as snowplow attachment,
operation and maintenance; reduction of salt applications; how
to convert and mobilize your fleet overnight; and innovations in
snow and ice control.
The final day, Wednesday, will open
with concurrent sessions at 9 a.m. Topics include a discussion
on good winter management practices and the benefit of good
highway winter maintenance. There also will be a follow up
session to Mee's roundtable discussion held on Sunday. This will
allow more people the opportunity to interact with Mee as he
discusses adapting to changes in winter maintenance techniques.
The final session will highlight Dr. Carl Hurley, a nationally
known humorists, who will share his stories.
That afternoon
the technical tours will take place. Tours are $10 each and
tickets can be purchased with registration. The first tour will
provide a look at anti-icing and snow removal at Kansas City
International Airport. The tour will look at the equipment,
materials and special technology needed to control snow and ice
at the airport. Some of the equipment includes two of the
largest snow blowers in North America.
Or tour the Henke
Manufacturing plant in Leavenworth, Kan., to see how snowplowing
equipment is made. Emphasis will be on the design and
manufacturing process.
The third tour offers a look at what
goes on below the playing fields of both the Kansas City Chiefs
and Royals. Ron Labinski, designer of Arrowhead Stadium, will be
on hand to answer any questions. In addition some of the local
jurisdictions will have some of their snow removal equipment on
display.
For more information on the North American Snow
Conference, contact the APWA, PO Box 27-296, Kansas City, MO
64105-0296, or call (816) 472-6100.