The people across the city working hard to keep Sheffield going in the snow

The people keeping Sheffield going in the snow

Gritting

- The council has been preparing for the Beast from the East for a number of days, monitoring satellite images and using our weather stations to prepare.

- They have travelled over 2600 miles since Sunday evening gritting the roads of Sheffield

- The majority of our staff are deployed to winter activity, meaning more than 450 members of staff are working to keep the city moving

- They have used 1,529 tonnes of salt since Sunday evening

- They’ve worked closely and planned in advance with emergency services and the NHS emergency planning team to reduce disruption, and have been receiving regular updates from the NHS and bus companies throughout the storm.

- Since the snow has arrived, the council's fleet of 16 gritters has been out 24 hours a day, spreading salt, ploughing where required and treating primary routes such as the main roads leading to the Northern General and Hallamshire Hospitals, as well as secondary routes which includes bus routes and main roads through estates.

- A dedicated team of farmers and subcontractors have been treating roads in rural areas to the West of Sheffield throughout the snow around the clock as well.

- Within the City Centre the have had 45 staff members clearing pedestrian routes such as from the train and bus station and in key retail areas

- A further 30 staff members clearing hospital perimeter footpaths at the Northern General, Hallamshire, Childrens, Weston Park and Jessops hospitals

- Operatives from the street cleaning teams also assisted by carrying out salting of busy retail areas and key commuter walking routes such as Ecclesall Road.

The Community Support Team

- The Council’s City Wide Care alarms service has been busy responding to urgent call outs yesterday and today – battling through the snow to get to 56 people over the last 2 days, 18 of whom had fallen, and getting food to people who can’t get out in the snow.

- First Contact, adult social care’s front door team, have been answering calls and helping elderly people stay warm and safe – including shopping, advice on staying safe and warm, and ringing people to do wellbeing checks.

- The Short Term Intervention Service of Sheffield City Council which provides care to people in their own homes every day of the year have continued to deliver this essential service in one of the toughest winters of the year.

- Despite freezing temperatures, blizzard conditions and snow the council's carers have continued to go out and provide care in peoples own homes, making sure they are safe and well.

- Staff have walked to service users where they have not been able to take cars onto roads and staff have begun walking to work hours before the start time to ensure the service has been delivered.

Neighbourhood team

- Neighbourhood Officers and Neighbourhood Support Offices contacting vulnerable customers to see if ok (1 member of staff came in from Doncaster) and also keeping the doors open at Crystal Peaks.

- Housing Service Estate staff gritting Ochre Dyke Road to help busses and cars that were getting stuck near the bus station at Crystal Peaks and also gritting around the blocks of flats in very difficult conditions.

Streets Ahead

- Sent out a team to help the community clear the road, put down grit to ensure a woman was able to make it to her father's funeral

-The Stewards, who work within communities across the city, have not been able undertake their usual tasks so instead have all grabbed a bucket and grit and are helping to grit pavements at various locations.