D1's Pooler spearheads late-October winter safety presentation
to St. Maries Rotary Club

With their foreman sidelined, the rest of the St. Maries Maintenance Shed, led by Shanon Pooler (pictured below), presented winter-safety information to the St. Maries Rotary Club on Oct. 25. The civic group was very appreciative, as it was an "eye opener" to them and the challenges faced each day and night when D1 is out fighting snowstorms for the community.

The club was so appreciative that they sent a thank you note in the mail, and made a potentially life-saving donation.

Pooler provided an overview of ITD's winter-maintenance program, discussing areas of responsibility and the materials and technology used to combat the region's snow and ice. He also told the group how to access the 511 traveler-advisory site, and demonstrated the use of a tablet with the 511 app.

Emphasis was put on the technologies available to ITD to fight snowstorms in the St. Maries area specifically. Pooler discussed the area's Roadway Weather Information System (RWIS) sites and the information they provide, as well as weather websites such as Intellicast, Accuweather, and NOAA.

An excellent question-and-answer period followed the presentation, with questions about the equipment, materials and manpower available during winter storms. Other questions focused on how many miles of road ITD is responsible for in the St. Maries area, the best way to remove salt residue from private vehicles, hazards faced while plowing, and many more.


Published 11-25-16