PREPARATION COMPLETE, SNOW SERVICE TONIGHT
As early as last week, our long-range weather forecasts had predicted the potential for snow this week and that forecast is coming to pass.  Accordingly, we have been planning for this pending storm for over a week. Monday morning we began notifying our snow service clients and began preparing, mobilizing, and deploying our resources.  We are now ready to begin service as the conditions become snowy or icy tongiht. We have over 30 plow trucks and loaders deployed across the Metro Area and approximately 200 staff prepared to provide service.
Although we have by far the greatest snow and ice service resources in the area, the timing and duration of this storm will make service challenging. Snow and ice will start to accumulate this evening and freezing precipitation is forecasted to continue throughout the weekend before potentially turning to rain going into next Monday. It is forecast that we could receive over a foot of snow and the snow could fall continually for up to 36 hours. We have scheduled staff to be available to serve our clients 24 hours a day until the freezing precipitation and conditions thaw and hazardous conditions are mitigated. It will be a long weekend but our team is prepared and highly motivated to provide heroic service to our clients. That is what Team Orange does.
As we have for the past several years, we have also worked to help our clients communicate with their employees, tenants, and patrons to heed warning and understand the risks when on property during winter weather. We have placed warning signs on all properties we service and have provided customers with a recommended email to send out with guidelines for individuals to take steps personally to reduce their risk of slipping or injury. Since it is impossible to eliminate all hazard, it is important to encourage all to take personal precaution. 

Recommended email to employees, tenant, and patrons:
Subject: Warning, Hazardous Conditions Likely Due to Snow and Ice Predicted!
Snow and/or ice is forecasted beginning tonight and will continue through the weekend. We will work to make every effort to reduce the risk to employees, tenants, and patrons during this and all winter storms. To do this, we contract with a vendor to work to plow and sand parking lots, and shovel and deice sidewalks to reduce the hazardous conditions. However, during winter weather, hazardous conditions are impossible to completely eliminate regardless of our diligence to prevent. Please use extreme caution when entering and exiting the parking lots and use even greater care when moving from your car to the building.
Person Protection Guidelines During Winter Weather and Sub Greezing Temperatures:
  • Work from home if possible
  • If coming onsite, wear appropriate footwear -- no high heels or smooth-soled shoes.
  • Assume all surfaces are slippery, whether in the parking lot or on sidewalks.
  • Be aware of changes in walking surfaces. Many falls are caused when people don't realize they're leaving non-slippery surface for slippery ones.
  • Focus on your footing. Watch where you walk. Concentrate on getting from point A to point B safely.
  • Use handrails on stairways and don't rush.
  • Free up you hands. Use a carrying case with a shoulder strap for laptops and files.
  • Walk like a penguin. Use short, slow steps.
  • Step down off curbs, not out. Landing on your heel first instead of flat footed can cause a fall.
  • Use authorized paths. If it's not clear of snow, don't use it . No shortcuts.
  • Don't assume what appears to be cleared is slip free. Black ice can form after snow is cleared and be hidden, making it even more dangerous.
  • Report unsafe conditions as you see them.

Will we see pictures like below? If so, we will be working all weekend to reduce hazardous conditions on our clients properties.