Snowfightin’

This month’s joint American Public Works Association (APWA) North American Snow and Pacific Northwest Snowfighters’ (PNS) Conference in Spokane, Wash. will bring together winter operations and snowfighting experts and professionals from across the continent.

“When winter weather strikes, it’s the local, state and provincial public works agencies and snowfighters who are at the forefront,” says APWA executive director Peter B. King. “Citizens rely on public works and other first responders for their safety during snowfall, ice storms, power outages and other basic weather events; businesses rely on public works to assure continued economic activity in their local community. The Snow Conference is a place for sharing expertise, lessons learned, and planning for next winter.”

Educational sessions include a wide variety of specific winter maintenance topics, including the advantages and disadvantages of using a private weather service, GIS Integrated Snowplows, pros and cons of fixed anti-icing spray technology (FAST) systems, impact of climate change on highways and airport maintenance, situational readiness, sustainability, and privatization and use of contractors, as well as strategic plan for winter maintenance research.

Hire a Hero

Need to hire someone? With unemployment as high as it is in the construction industries, there will be a lot of contenders. Maybe it’s a job that must have a set of specific skills. But maybe it’s a job where you could help a hero get back on his/her feet.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is working with the USO and Hire Heroes USA to host transition workshops and career opportunity days for wounded, ill, or injured military personnel and their families.

The work begins with “career opportunity days” starting at both Fort Carson, Col., and Fort Belvoir, Va., this spring and at other locations in the second half of the year. The idea is that these will be personal meetings, so that job seekers don’t have to face the potentially intimidating environment of trade fairs or other public options. The new partnership will also offer resources to job candidates to help them re-integrate into the community.

“By reaching out to local military commanders, partnering with American companies that have a nationwide presence, and energizing our extensive network of state and local chambers, our hope is to create an environment in which thousands of military veterans and their spouses can find meaningful employment in their home towns and local communities,” said Kevin M. Schmiegel, Lt.Col., USMC (Ret.) and vice president of the U.S. Chamber.