By Phil Harwood

The State of Michigan recognized its snow & ice management professionals in an official proclamation signed by the governor. 

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This proclamation was spearheaded by the MNLA with Amy Upton as the Executive Director. Amy reached out to myself (and I’m sure others) to help draft the proclamation language - and it was an honor to be able to contribute. Below are some snippets. 

Michigan is known as a “Water-Winter Wonderland” and is one of the ten snowiest states in the United States, with an average snowfall of 60 - 120 inches. 

It is estimated that Michigan’s Snow and Ice Management Industry generates several hundred million dollars annually and employs thousands of professionals. 

Its county road agencies are statutorily responsible for keeping 90,000 miles of county roads safe in winter months. 

The Michigan DOT employs hundreds of trained Snow and Ice Management Professionals that operate more than 350 trucks to maintain 10,000 miles of state highway system.

Michigan’s cities and townships employ thousands of Snow and Ice Management Professionals responsible for maintaining our 21,000 route miles of city and village streets and 36,000 miles of urban unpaved roads. 

Michigan’s Snow and Ice Management Professionals are trained and certified to use technologically advanced equipment, software, weather-monitoring devices, and specialized materials, with employing safety protocols for their teams and being mindful of environmental impacts and complying with a variety of regulations. 

When there is snow, sleet, ice and freezing temperatures, Michigan’s Snow and Ice Management Professionals jump into action. They endure long hours, often at night, in some of the worst weather conditions. 

And provide vitally important services to keep hospitals, schools, municipalities, governmental agencies, commercial properties, distribution sites, retail, and residential properties protected by providing Michigan residents with safe passage and access to critical care and services all winter long. 

If you didn’t already know, I love snow. And one of my greatest joys is to be able to help professional snow fighters through the Snowfighters Institute. At Snowfighters, we provide opportunities for snow pros to learn, network, and grow in their careers. 

Our event lineup for next year’s events will be announced soon. We encourage you to register quickly since events do sell out and you’ll want to claim your spot. We don’t enjoy turning people away but each event has a limited number of spots available. Once we hit our limit, we have no choice but to stop accepting registrations. 

We also have some new announcements coming in future weeks. So stay tuned.