Cary Greets Cooler Weather with Snow Rodeo Activation

• Cary's A-Team will convene on Friday, Oct. 16, to run its annual winter weather drill, which includes re-familiarizing themselves with plow equipment, training on chainsaws, and using a mobile plow simulator to brush up on safe driving techniques in inclement weather.
• Leading up to the Snow Rodeo, residents may see plows, leaf vehicles, and brining on the street; the "brine" during this week's exercise is pure water and not the typical salt mixture.
• Take time now to ensure you are ready for winter weather: refresh your home's emergency kit, locate your water shutoff valve, enroll in ReadyWake alerts, and begin to winterize your home over the coming weeks.

CARY, NC - As the temperatures begin to fall, Cary's A-team is getting their motors running and hitting the streets during the annual Snow Rodeo. Brining trucks are being recalibrated and tested, and will begin spraying water on streets as early as today. Drivers can expect to see plows, leaf collectors, and other winter weather equipment being used throughout this week as part of the activation.

On Friday, the A-Team will review snow removal procedures and practice safe driving maneuvers using a mobile plow simulator to ensure familiarity and safety. The simulator, also used to help train staff in earning their CDL certification, replicates physical feedback - such as road bumps, rumble strips, steering resistance, and sliding on ice - right in the seat and steering wheel.

"Virtual reality training protects real equipment from unnecessary wear and ensures the A-Team excellence by reducing our chances of crashes and property damage when the real stuff starts to fall," said Jimmy Simpson, Public Works Director.

In real winter weather emergencies, the Cary's brine trucks are out 18-24 hours in advance of predicted weather to pretreat streets to prevent frozen precipitation from sticking. The Town does not clear private streets or parking lots, including those in apartment and condominium communities or at businesses and commercial centers. Cary's A-Team is made up of roughly 300 personnel. This year's winter storm inventory includes 75 plows and 30 spreaders, along with 3,000 tons of salt. There are about 800 linear miles of streets in Cary.

Cary has held its annual Snow Rodeo since 2005. The annual training also gives staff an opportunity to practice loose leaf collection ahead of the Nov. 2 start of Cary's regular leaf collection season. Residents may see crews practicing in neighborhoods before the official season begins; these practice collections do not count as the first round.

Take time now to ensure your home is prepared for adverse winter weather. Learn how to use your home's master water shut-off valve in the event of frozen/broken utility pipes. Review the NC Highway Patrol's tips for driving in winter weather. Additionally, citizens in both Wake and the Chatham County portion of Cary are encouraged to visit ReadyWake to elect to receive real-time notifications from Cary Town government. Finally, as consistently cooler temps settle in, winterize your irrigation system, turn off outside faucets, and repair any drafty or broken windows and door seals. For a full list of winter weather preparedness tips, visit carync.gov/cold.

Media note: Media are invited to Cary's Garmon Operations Center at 400 James Jackson Ave. on Friday, Oct. 16, from 8-11 a.m. to gather winter weather preparedness footage and take a ride in the mobile plow simulator. RSVP to Cary 311.

Primary Contacts

If you have specific questions, visit carync.gov/311, dial 311 anywhere in Cary, (919) 469-4000 outside Town limits, or email [email protected].

Resources