341st CES thinks ahead to winter days Published Oct. 20, 2011 By Jerry Loveless and Gary Martin 341st Civil Engineer Squadron MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- The missile complex is the 341st Civil Engineer Squadron's number one priority in snow removal operations, followed by main base streets and essential service areas, and finally the housing areas. The 341st CES recommends that all drivers wait until roads have been cleared to venture out if at all possible. If anyone must be out, ensure maximum visibility by clearing the vehicle's windows of ice and/or snow buildup. Some snow removal equipment weighs in excess of 54,000 lbs., so people are out and about during winter storms should make sure snow removal equipment has plenty of room to stop and maneuver. Vehicles parked on the sides of the road create obstacles for plow operators. Moving all vehicles off of the street when snow begins to fall will help expedite the removal process. Housing occupants are required to remove snow and ice from all walkways, driveways, mailbox clusters and fire hydrants within 24 hours of the beginning of each snowfall. In cases of continuing or blowing snow, occupants must remove snow periodically; at least once every 24 hours. Shoveled snow should be placed in areas other than the street. Placing snow in the street will only cause the plow to windrow snow back in front of the driveway, causing the movement of the same snow twice. Snow removal leadership makes every effort to get to the housing areas as quickly as possible and any help is greatly appreciated. Customer Service is the snow removal team's number one priority, but mission requirements dictate response efforts. Below are a few tips from the 341st CES Snow Removal Team: Wing Facility Managers are responsible for sidewalks, driveways, loading docks, porches, fire hydrants, overhead/sliding doors and swinging gates NOTE: FM must remove snow from around gates prior to opening Missile Alert Facility Managers are responsible for inspecting all snow removal loaders every seven days to include a minimum run-up of 30 minutes; blower units will be maintained by CES personnel MAF FMs are required to inspect loader bucket cutting edges before and after each snow removal operation People who live or work on base and drive vehicles should not park on the streets when snow is in the forecast. Yield to snow removal equipment; heavy machinery requires a lot of power to accelerate, if allowed to continue at a constant speed, snow removal procedures go quicker and run more smoothly. The team only sands intersections and sharp corners, so all base personnel should be cautious while driving through ice or snow-packed roads.