"A Day In The Life"—Nick Repekta, Heavy Equipment Operator

The evening weather forecast says there will be yet another storm blanketing our area.

After several major storms in a row, we roll our eyes, shake our heads and crawl snuggly into bed.

At the same time, as the snowfall begins, Nick Repekta and his fellow heavy equipment operators are first going out to sand the roads. Later on, when an accumulation of snow has formed, they begin to plow.

It doesn’t matter that it’s 3 a.m. or that these hard working employees may not have seen their families for more than a brief period of time before they are called back out on the road to tackle the snow and its removal.

As a second-generation highway department worker, Repekta takes a lot of pride in what he does. He originally started working for the Parks Department but transferred once a job opened. Repekta has been working the same route during the winter months for the past eight years.

While there is no typical day especially when dealing with the weather and the nature of snowstorms, Repekta can get called at any hour and that shift can last many hours until the roads are clear and safe for drivers to be out on them.

“When the roads get bad, we have to go out. It takes a very special person to do this type of work. It’s not unusual for me to stay up for 35 hours straight, and you have to keep going. It’s part of this job,” Repekta said.

When there’s a storm, the Repekta knows what the routine is for sanding as he has consistently worked a specific route. With trucks already loaded, he arrives, takes a load of salt and hits his main runs. As far as the plowing goes, Repekta floats to wherever he may be needed.

“We have contractors and if somebody doesn’t come in, I go where they need me for plowing. It’s a very repetitive job but one that I find very rewarding. I get to accomplish something instantly,” Repekta said.

Since roadways and parking lots often times need to be cleared of ice and snow several times before they are deemed safe, Repekta said helps to listen to his favorite radio station while plowing or sanding.

“I love to listen to rock music when I am working. Sometimes I really can’t hear the music that well when I am operating the truck, but I like having it in the background.  I do play in a band that my brother and some friends formed in the late 90’s. But during this exhausting time of year, I don’t get to play much. Any free time I may have I want to devote to my daughter and trying to get a bit of sleep,” Repekta said.

Repekta admitted that the worst part about this job is the fact that he can’t plan ahead for family outings, concerts or holidays. When Mother Nature comes calling, he answers the call at a moment’s notice.

When not sanding or plowing, he and his fellow workers are also spending a great deal of time digging out the catch basins to avoid flooding.

“It’s ironic that I hear everyone else talking about how after they clean their driveways, they end up getting plowed in. When I finally get home after working hours on end and feeling absolutely exhausted, I first have to shovel my own driveway,” Repekta said.