Heavy Equipment Cleans Up Storm Debris in Kansas

Mon June 03, 2002
Richard Miller

At the end of January, a massive winter storm moved out of the southwest region of the United States sweeping into the Midwest dumping heavy snow, sleet and ice. In the Kansas City metropolitan area the combination of 4 in. of sleet and 2 in. of ice eventually left more than 350,000 customers without electricity.

Area power companies called in utility crews from 12 different states to help restore service. In Kansas City alone officials estimate the cleanup will cost more than $14 million.

For Bob Pryzby, director of Public Works for Prairie Village, KS, attacking the storm began late on Tuesday, Jan. 29, when his truck fleet began salting the 112 mi. (180 km) of city streets. By early Wednesday, the accumulation of sleet required his eight-truck fleet to begin plowing. By that evening, the accumulating ice started to bring down both power lines and branches. Both the city hall and police departments were on emergency power by 5 p.m. and 70 percent of the city north of 83rd Street was without power. This safety risk compelled Pryzby to pull his crews off the streets for the rest of the night.

Earlier that day Pryzby anticipated the potential damage the storm would cause and he contacted Kaw Valley Companies, Shawnee Mission Tree Service and Deffenbaugh Disposal Service for assistance. According to Pryzby, these three companies provided quick assistance in October 1996 when a freak snowstorm also brought down trees and power lines.

By 4 a.m. on Thursday, Pryzby’s crews were back on the streets clearing streets and moving debris to a city park behind city hall. Pryzby also arranged to lease a Cat 938G and a few Deere 744H wheel loaders to work along with the city’s Deere 544H.

In addition to supplying street crews, Kaw Valley Companies provided equipment and men to work the collection site. According to Tim Kates, general manager, Kaw Valley provided eight trucks to move the brush to the collection site, along with removal of wood chips to a Deffenbaugh Disposal landfill. Each truck carried approximately 25 cu. yds (19 cu m) per load. The equipment Kaw Valley used included a Cat 325 and a Komatsu PC300LC excavator with a JRB grappler attachment.

Shawnee Mission Tree Service Tree Service supplied two hand crews to work the streets, along with a knuckle-boom loader to place the debris into its trucks. The site equipment included a Hyundai 180 LC-3 excavator and a recently purchased Bandit 3680 horizontal feed cuttermill.

A 500-hp (373 kW) six- cylinder Deere diesel powers the cuttermill. The maximum feed rate is 60 fpm (18.3 mpm), with the end product being between 350 and 400 cu. yds. (268 to 306 cu m) of chips per hour. A radio-control feature allows the operator to manage the conveyor feed, engine throttle and the top feed wheel from a remote location such as a cab of an excavator.

Additionally, Bandit Industries placed a service representative on site to assist Shawnee Mission Tree Service personnel. According to Travis Lint, regional sales representative, “Bandit Industries always has a factory trained serviceman in the field the first couple days after a customer takes delivery of a new or used grinder. They spend time showing the customer how to operate and maintain the machine. Also, after about the first month of operation we will send our rep back on site to check on the maintenance and operation of the machine.”

President Bush declared 33 counties in Missouri and 35 counties in Kansas a federal disaster area as a result of the storm. Federal disaster aid was made available to help families and businesses recover from the effects of the storm. Additionally, federal funds were made available to state and local governments to help repair or replace disaster-damaged facilities such as roads, buildings and utilities.

By the end of February, the three contractors had made 663 truck deliveries to the collection site. The city worked seven days per week, 10-hour days until the project was completed on April 1.