Some thoughts on overcoming the potholes and paper cuts that wait for us each day.
ARTICLE OF THE MONTH:
Public Works: Not Your Run of the Mill First Responders
by Marty Williams
I am still often in amazement when I witness how deeply entrenched public works professionals are in the emergency management/emergency preparedness world. By simply opening my ears and taking in the information shared by APWA members during meetings, I learn so much. Case in point…during a recent APWA Government Affairs Committee (GAC) meeting, GAC Chair Tyler Palmer, Public Works Director for Moscow, Idaho, shared the direct involvement and emergency response and recovery role of public works following the tragic murders of four college students in Moscow, Idaho in November 2022.
“When the University (University of Idaho) decided to demolish the home, they reached out to Moscow Public Works to coordinate the demolition. The images that flash across a news screen often show police officers maintaining security, but what it fails to show are myriad public works employees involved in assuring a smooth and safe process. Moscow Public Works coordinated directly with University staff to permit the road closure, arrange the shut-off and disconnection of utilities, generate traffic and crowd control plans, issue pertinent permits, and arrange safe and secure disposal of debris. While our partners in law enforcement certainly played a key role in providing security on the day of the demolition, it was public works who took the lead throughout the process to ensure a smooth, safe, organized operation.” This powerful example shared by Tyler allows those outside of the public works world to obtain a greater understanding of what public works professionals may be tasked with as part of their responsibilities.
The number of such encounters and the subsequent impact of those encounters that many of you have or may share in the future go such a long way in painting a vivid picture of why public works professionals fall into the category of first responders. Equally important, Tyler’s recounting of what took place in Idaho highlights a somber side of the responsibilities that may befall a public works professional.
Practices to Motivate Safe Behaviors With Highway Construction and Maintenance Crews
In comparable private sectors, incentive and disincentive programs have effectively promoted safe behaviors by employees. However, state departments of transportation (DOTs) have unique limitations and restrictions on their ability to financially incentivize safe actions by highway construction and maintenance crews or, in some cases, implement corrective actions to disincentivize unsafe actions. While navigating these restrictions is difficult, some DOTs have implemented unique approaches in order to institute incentives, including monetary awards, certificates, personal protective equipment, meals, and more.
