PORTLAND, Maine — As Mainers log off from work Friday, the work is just beginning for plow drivers in southern Maine as the area prepares for the first major snowfall of the season.
Portland city officials will meet on Saturday to go over the latest forecast and discuss plans, according to Jessica Grondin, a spokesperson for the city.
Grondin said that’s when residents can expect parking ban announcements or any closures. Other municipalities have already announced parking bans Friday.
While there is a shortage of city plow drivers, Grondin said the late ‘start to winter’ has given crews more time to prepare and they are ready for this weekend’s storm. The crews, she added, will focus on clearing Portland’s main streets.
So residents will have to be patient before all side roads are treated.
Smaller snow removal businesses are also gearing up for their first test of the winter. 207 Landscaping & Tree Service plows snow for homes and businesses in five towns in the greater Portland area.
“We have taken all safety measures necessary to get ready for the storm,” Owner Sal Celchincilla said.
Four crews from the company will be working Sunday, Operations Manager Matthew Moulton said.
On Friday, employees went to make sure new customers were all set for the weekend and made sure those markers used to keep plows working in the right areas were in good shape.
It’s also the first time these workers have cleared snow this year, so Moulton said they went over their own safety checklists as well.
Plow drivers typically work long overnight hours, Celchincilla said it takes a special person to do the job and serve their community.
“We are very picky about who we hire,” he added. “[My employees are] committed to getting up in the morning because there [are] customers and businesses that are relying on you to be there and provide a safe environment for everybody.”
Meanwhile, in Portland, Yerxa’s Power Equipment was busy Friday as some Mainers realized their snowblowers hadn’t been used since last year or needed some new outdoor gloves.
“Human nature, we’re procrastinators, it’s always been like that,” General Manager Nicole Yerxa said. “I would say start the machine now before it snows.”
The family-owned business has been helping Mainers since 1938, so Yerxa has seen the early season struggles for decades.
Don’t worry, the shop and others across the state also sell shovels.
Portland is looking for plow drivers for this winter, if you’re interested you can find more information here. (https://www.portlandmaine.gov/596/Winter-Operations)
The Maine Department of Transportation has also dealt with staffing shortages over the past few years, according to spokesperson Paul Merrill. However, Merrill said the DOT will have plenty of crews clearing roads this weekend.
No matter where you live, Merrill reminded Mainers to give the big plow trucks plenty of room on the roads and to take it slow if you’re driving late Saturday and throughout the day Sunday.