As the Midwest and the Northeast plunged into an Arctic freeze and the weather turned downright dangerous, AFSCME members like Vincent Gartin continued to serve their communities – with grit warming their hearts and layers of clothing warming their bodies.
Here’s how Gartin, a snow plow operator and AFSCME Local 725 member, described the preparations for last week’s polar vortex-induced frigidity in Indianapolis: “It’s like preparing for Thanksgiving Dinner. You don’t just wake up in the morning and start eating. You plan your menu, pick out your recipes, make your lists, and go to the store multiple times to make sure you have everything you need.”
“We keep our 30,000-pound trucks stocked with salt, and the plow attachments working. We practice and prep for days just like this so when it happens, we just put on extra layers, and get out there and get the work done,” he added.
Gartin worked with the Indianapolis Fire Department to help community residents. Here’s one example of how his assistance helped save lives: On Wednesday, when temperatures plummeted to -41 degrees Fahrenheit with the wind chill, firefighters were unable to connect to a frozen hydrant and put out a fire. Gartin and his crew salted a leaking fire hydrant and defrosted the water pipes, allowing the firefighters to save a burning home.