Facilities management at Bloomsburg University is on a mission: ensuring the campus is safe and appealing to visitors. From maintenance to sustainability, they are working throughout the year to upkeep the grounds.

$20,000 has been invested into keeping the grounds safe this 2023-2024 cycle according to Dan Mattox, Facilities Services Manager.  The maintenance crew and facilities management teams are working more hours recently with the snow storms and other inclement weather.

In the most recent snowstorm of four to five inches, the staff spent 12 hours spread across six grounds shoveling says the facilities services manager. He says the iciest parts of campus are the upper campus hill as well as the north side of the buildings.

The workers take their own safety precautions by using “micro spikes for shoes are provided along with appropriate foot wear”, said Mattox. Specific to the precautionary measures, there are 11 workers that handle pre-treatment.

How does the facilities management know when to act on upcoming inclement weather?

“Each storm is unique”, says Mattox.

For snow, salting occurs when it is over.  For mixed precipitation, service is as needed per weather conditions.  As for ice, pre-treating with salt is required then as needed per weather conditions. Other than shoveling, the crew will utilize brushes and blowers on sidewalks, and engage in large snow pile removal.

At other times of the year, more precautions are taken for other types of weather. For thunderstorms, the facilities services check roof and storm drains. As for wind storms, they focus on replacing wind screens and branch cleanup.