Constant Snow Removal Exhausts Public Works Crews

Back-to-back snowstorms are taking a toll on the people who have to spend long hours cleaning up roads and sidewalks.

A spokesperson for the East Haven Public Works Department said 14 workers called out sick Tuesday, just hours after many worked long hours to keep up with Monday's storm.

“We knew people weren’t going to show up because they’re tired. We got some people who worked physically for 20, 30 hours in a row and we got people behind trucks and it’s not the easiest job in the world let me tell you,” said Bob Parente, superintendent of operations at East Haven Public Works.

The crew’s union president, John Longley, called out sick himself. He said crews were run down from all the work over the past week.

“The last thing I want is anyone fatigued on the road where they’re not going to, number one, they’re not going to feel good and put them in a position of their own safety to be jeopardized,” said Parente.

He said the town hired private contractors to help keep up with Tuesday's cleanup.

Longley emphasized that the large number of sick workers was neither coordinated nor planned.

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