Sandy getting help, expects to maintain snowplow service despite fire
Sandy, Utah — (KUTV) Despite losing most of its plows in an early morning fire, Sandy City believes residents will see no disruption in service.
This is, thanks in part, to a 3-year-old agreement between DPW agencies throughout the state that Sandy was the first to sign onto.
"You may not be able to give them all the resources they need, but your little bit, other neighbors' little bits, can hopefully help them out and get them through this," West Jordan Public Services Manager Tim Peters said.
He said he's planning on helping Sandy City this winter after Friday's early morning fire at Sandy DPW building that destroyed 10 to 12 of its snowplows -- more than half of its fleet.
"We don't have a lot of 'extra resources' or backup resources," Peters said. But, he said with help coming in from multiple agencies, thanks to a 2014 mutual aid agreement he helped draft and only now is being enacted for the first time, Sandy should be covered.
"When you have a situation that exceeds the given resources, you can reach out to other agencies for their assistance.
"It's awful tough. You've got equipment in there. You've got people to worry about. You've got a job to take care of the community and all those thoughts start coming into your mind and you wonder how am I going to do all this."
Sandy DPW director Mike Gladbach said the help is reassuring, and the little break we are getting in the weather helps. He said Sandy residents should rest assured, the next time it snows, they'll be just fine.
"I hope they see this is a hiccup. Their streets will get plowed. I know that's important. We want them to know we are working toward doing that. We know that's why we are here," Gladbach said.
Sandy has confirmed the cause to the four-alarm fire to be electrical or mechanical in nature and likely began in one of the 10-wheeler big rigs that was housed in the DPW building. As many as 12 were destroyed in the fast burning fire that lasted throughout Friday, and is estimated to caused several million dollars in damages.
As many as 55 people worked in the building. No one was injured. Most of those employees have been relocated to a utilities building within the city. Sandy officials said multiple cities across the area have reached out and offered help, and they have been grateful for the response.
