IT’S TOUGH ENOUGH CLEARING THE RECENT HEAVY SNOW FROM YOUR SIDEWALKS AND DRIVEWAY, BUT HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE TO CLEAR AIRPORT RUNWAYS FOR THE GIANT AIR NATIONAL GUARD REFUELING PLANES.
THE JANUARY SNOW HAS KEPT IOWA AIR NATIONAL GUARD CIVIL ENGINEERS ARRIVING TO WORK EARLY IN ORDER TO KEEP AIR OPERATIONS GOING.
MASTER SGT. BRETT ROBINSON OF THE 185TH AIR REFUELING WING SAYS THE MAIN SNOW CLEARING PRIORITY AT THE BASE IS THE AIRCRAFT RAMP AREA, AND HE USES A LOT OF CARE AND CAUTION WHEN MOVING THE SNOW:
185SNOW1 OC……….TAKE YOUR TIME. :18
ROBINSON SAYS PILING SNOW AROUND THE RAMP PRESENTS CONCERNS FOR THE UNIT’S KC-135’S AS THEY TAXI IN AND OUT.
HE SAYS PLOW DRIVERS NEED TO MAKE SURE THE SNOW DOESN’T GET TOO HIGH:
185SNOW2 OC………..THE EDGES. :27
THE AIR GUARD UNIT IN SIOUX CITY HAS ABOUT $2 MILLION WORTH OF SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT THAT INCLUDES OSHKOSH H-SERIES BLOWERS, FRONT MOUNTED BROOM TRUCKS AND H-SERIES PLOWS:
185SNOW3 OC……..A LITTLE SCARY. :07.
GETTING THE SNOW CLEARED QUICKLY IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT WHEN TRYING TO ENSURE 24-HOUR AIR OPERATIONS.
THE SNOW REMOVAL OPERATIONS AT THE SIOUX CITY AIRBASE ARE COORDINATED WITH AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE AND AIR OPERATIONS GROUPS WITH THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR FOR SNOW REMOVAL BEING THE UNIT’S FLYING SCHEDULE.
FROM S SGT VINCE DEGROOT
