Snow preparations in the City of Pueblo

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- Normally there are between 2-6 snow plows out during a storm in the City of Pueblo.

"If we know it's coming what we do is send trucks out to spray the bridges and known slick spots," Pueblo Snow Plow Operator Damon McCray said. "We get crews together and depending on how much and what time the storm's gonna hit and how many people we're gonna need, sometimes we send people home and they'll come back out at night. Then we go from there and keep rotating the shifts until the storm is over."

About 16 plows were on call in Pueblo Friday night but none were used. However, sand trucks were used as other crews monitored icy conditions.

"I guess it's simple, just hitting the breaks and if you slide, then salt and sand goes there, because sometimes you get the black ice and that's worse than the ice you can see," McCray said. "So we usually do it at the intersections where you're gonna stop and start."

The day before, crews pre-treated key areas with de-icer in anticipation of the storm.

"There's certain spots," McCray. "Always the bridges because they're gonna freeze first, known hills, or shaded spots that we know are gonna be a problem once the snow starts hitting."

There are 7 plow routes in Pueblo pre-identified in their snow removal plan.

The city plows focus on the highly trafficked areas on city streets and feeder streets into residential areas. But rarely touch the neighborhoods.

"Generally they prioritize routes that are key for emergency services, school routes, those kinds of things," Pueblo Director of Public Works Andrew Hayes said. "Maintaining emergency services and bus routes are always a priority for us."

Pueblo has 15 snow plows and sand trucks. Operators urge residents, if they see these vehicles out to slow down and keep their distance.

"If you see a plow operator, remember, we're spreading sand," Hayes said. "We have large equipment with a lot of blind spots."