The situation
A historic storm buried western New York in November 2022, dumping as much as 60 to 80 inches of snow in some areas, according to reports from the National Weather Service. Schools and businesses were shut down, roads were impassable, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency.
Walgreens, a Divisions Maintenance Group customer, has hundreds of stores in New York and about 30 in the Buffalo area alone, where snow was heaviest. DMG and Walgreens needed to quickly partner to clear the snow and minimize store downtime.
The DMG solution
Our response started days before the storm, with DMG communicating detailed plans that included forecasts, timelines and priorities. Providers and DMG’s on-the-ground field team were ready to go, each with specified routes and territories to manage.
DMG has dedicated providers for these sites, but the snow was too heavy for the regular crews to handle alone. So, we brought in additional resources from other cities and states to help with the attack.
Communication stayed strong throughout the storm, with DMG and Walgreens sending daily updates on the plan, escalations and any complications. DMG providers focused on priority areas – main entrances, parking spots closest to doors, pharmacy drive through lanes, handicap ramps, etc. When the snow proved too much for typical plows, stressing and breaking equipment, DMG brought in heavy duty loaders to help clear the lots.
“During this historic event, communication was fantastic, and we were able to get sites open and safe for our customers and team members quickly.” — Rob Schmitt, Walgreens Facilities Field Director
Five stores were completely inaccessible for a period, with access roads shut down and unplowed. Once it was safe, DMG used heavy equipment to plow the streets to those stores in order to start clearing the lots. The goal was to have the lots clear and ready to go as soon as it was safe for Walgreens employees to reopen their stores.
When the snow finally let up, DMG providers shifted from focusing on priority areas to getting stores back to 100%.
Then, four weeks later, when there was a blizzard over Christmas weekend in Buffalo, we did it all again.
The result
Walgreens gave DMG a Vendor Recognition Award for our work and partnership during the storms.
“Facing many challenges including a state of emergency, travel, and the holidays, DMG was able to execute at a high level and provide timely updates as requested,” the Walgreens team wrote.
For more information on DMG’s snow and ice management services, visit DivisionsMG.com/services.
