Pruning and maintaining trees was but one responsibility Cabrini’s facilities department tackled this past summer in preparation for the possibility of another intense winter.
“We’ve paid close attention this summer. Recently, we did work outside Woodcrest and we’re working on leveling the path from Widener to Founder’s,” Dawn Barnett, director of the Facilities Department, explained in a recent interview.
Cabrini’s facilities department has been working day in and day out this summer to prepare the campus for what could be another icy winter. “Our orders are going to be a lot higher this year,” Barnett said.
Tree maintenance, pavement repair and supply orders are some of the other responsibilities the facilities department has taken on to get ready for more intense weather.
After a brutal winter plowed through the East Coast, the Obama administration released an 840-page report breaking down region by region what can be expected of future weather conditions.
Something that was believed to be far off in the world’s future has now proven that it is in full swing. Global warming has started confirming the beliefs of weather experts that human activity and climate change have a strong correlation.
“Climate change, once considered an issue for a distant future, has moved firmly into the present,” the report states.
Heavy snow and crippling ice are not the only issues that are resulting from this climate change. In the warmer months, heavy rain and wind also play into facilities’ preparations for the campus.
According to the National Climate Assessment, “Heat waves, coastal flooding, and river flooding will pose a growing challenge to the region’s environmental, social, and economic systems. This will increase the vulnerability of the region’s residents, especially its most disadvantaged populations.”
When asked how the college would handle this type of weather, Barnett responded by saying “roof systems are number one. Also drains need to be cleared and we need to maintain our trees. Last year did a number on our trees.”
Over the summer, Cabrini College’s facilities department had the campus’s roof systems evaluated to ensure that they can withstand heavy rain and snow, according to Barnett.
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