Page 26 - Jan/Feb 2016 Vol.33 No.6
P. 26
TCAPWA EVENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS By Hillary Tune
Upper East Branch Co-Hosts
Snow & Ice Preparedness Symposium
Airports, agencies gather to share ideas on snow and ice removal
Just over 100 folks from governmental First, Matt Hinkin, chief meteorologist trucks that are primarily used in the moun-
agencies throughout East Tennessee and at WATE TV, presented the possibilities tainous regions. The organization also
Kentucky gathered last October at McGhee for what East Tennessee’s weather forecast employs all-wheel drive Kenworth dump
Tyson Airport for the inaugural Snow and would look like — at that date, there was trucks outfitted with a plow, a spreader
Ice Preparedness Symposium. no specific winter forecast for the area. box and a calcium chloride tank. For more
However, Hinkin posited that the El Niño- urban areas, 2x4 pick-up trucks are used to
The event was presented by the Upper like conditions occurring in the Pacific clear the roads during a snow or ice event.
East Branch of TCAPWA and the Ocean could indicate a strong El Niño year.
Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority. Building their own 5,000-gallon capacity
The idea for the symposium grew out “If we truly have an El Niño year, then calcium chloride storage has helped his
of a conversation between Richard we have warm temperatures and more department immensely, Messer said,
Good, maintenance superintendent for moisture, but less snow,” he said. as they were once dependent on other
Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority, municipalities to provide them with the
and TCAPWA’s Kenny Wiggins. Both men Chico Messer, assistant highway superin- calcium chloride.
were integral in organizing the all-day tendent for Blount County, presented how
educational event. Blount County Highway Department has Next, Kenny Wiggins, director of public
evolved over the past few decades in how it works and engineering for the City of
“We all have one thing in common, and handles snow and ice on some of the steep Alcoa shared how his county has updated
that is snow removal. However, we all do it grades and narrow roads in the area. its equipment and also built a new brine
a little differently. We’re presenting today building to better respond to snow and ice
three different perspectives on snow and One way his department tackles these events. Wiggins said his department has
ice removal,” Good said. challenges is with the equipment it utilizes, 99 miles of city-maintained streets and 75
such as the two M-Series 6x6 military
26 TPW January/February 2016
Upper East Branch Co-Hosts
Snow & Ice Preparedness Symposium
Airports, agencies gather to share ideas on snow and ice removal
Just over 100 folks from governmental First, Matt Hinkin, chief meteorologist trucks that are primarily used in the moun-
agencies throughout East Tennessee and at WATE TV, presented the possibilities tainous regions. The organization also
Kentucky gathered last October at McGhee for what East Tennessee’s weather forecast employs all-wheel drive Kenworth dump
Tyson Airport for the inaugural Snow and would look like — at that date, there was trucks outfitted with a plow, a spreader
Ice Preparedness Symposium. no specific winter forecast for the area. box and a calcium chloride tank. For more
However, Hinkin posited that the El Niño- urban areas, 2x4 pick-up trucks are used to
The event was presented by the Upper like conditions occurring in the Pacific clear the roads during a snow or ice event.
East Branch of TCAPWA and the Ocean could indicate a strong El Niño year.
Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority. Building their own 5,000-gallon capacity
The idea for the symposium grew out “If we truly have an El Niño year, then calcium chloride storage has helped his
of a conversation between Richard we have warm temperatures and more department immensely, Messer said,
Good, maintenance superintendent for moisture, but less snow,” he said. as they were once dependent on other
Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority, municipalities to provide them with the
and TCAPWA’s Kenny Wiggins. Both men Chico Messer, assistant highway superin- calcium chloride.
were integral in organizing the all-day tendent for Blount County, presented how
educational event. Blount County Highway Department has Next, Kenny Wiggins, director of public
evolved over the past few decades in how it works and engineering for the City of
“We all have one thing in common, and handles snow and ice on some of the steep Alcoa shared how his county has updated
that is snow removal. However, we all do it grades and narrow roads in the area. its equipment and also built a new brine
a little differently. We’re presenting today building to better respond to snow and ice
three different perspectives on snow and One way his department tackles these events. Wiggins said his department has
ice removal,” Good said. challenges is with the equipment it utilizes, 99 miles of city-maintained streets and 75
such as the two M-Series 6x6 military
26 TPW January/February 2016
