Fourteen snowplows, five backhoes, four snowblowers, three hydro excavators and 960 tonnes of salt - in - two - sheds.
Throw in 14,000 litres of brine mix and the City of Richmond is ready for more than the 12 Days of Christmas when it comes to tackling this seasons winter storms.
The citys public works department presented a snow and ice response report to city councillors this week, detailing its fleet and armoury and plan to fight whatever the winter throws Richmonds way.
Around 960 metric tonnes of road salt the city used 923 last season during seven snowfalls and 14 frost events are now in storage at two sites, the public works yard on Lynas Lane and at Sidaway Road in East Richmond.
The city has also installed five road temperature sensors across the city, with plans being made for two more.
The sensors, according to the citys roads manager Ben Dias, are monitored 24 hours a day to provide early indications of frost forming on the roads.
City staff also continuously monitor Richmond-specific weather forecasts and have received a long-term forecast from Northwest Weathernet for the winter, which predicts there will be no extreme weather in either end of the scale.
The record low Arctic sea ice will have some minor impact in making the eastern portions of North America colder/snowier, which means a bit less wet and cold for us, stated the forecast.
Dias said the city will ramp up its public outreach during the winter via social media to keep people as informed as possible about road conditions.
Meanwhile, the city is asking volunteer organizations to register as Snow Angels.
Heavy winter snowfall can cause challenges for some Richmond residents such as the elderly and persons with illnesses or disabilities. Richmonds Snow Angels can offer voluntary assistance with tasks such as snow removal.
The Snow Angels program is activated during major snowfall events. This is defined as 48 hours of continuous snowfall and a minimum of 15 centimetres of snow.
Registering to be a Snow Angel organization is easy; simply contact the citys parks programs coordinator at 604-244-1250 or email [email protected].
Residents needing assistance can access the Snow Angels registry in several ways during a major snowfall - calling Richmond City Hall at 604-276-4000, the citys community services department at 604-244-1208, or their local community centre. The registry can also be accessed online at www.richmond.ca/winter.
