Although the first snowflakes have yet to fall this year, the Iowa State campus is ready for the inevitable inclement weather.

Preparations for winter are almost complete, said Bob Currie, assistant director of Facilities Services.

Utilities staff have drained water lines that would be subject to freezing, blocked air inlets and inspected natural gas lines for leaks.

“Our biggest concern in preparing for winter is making sure we have an adequate fuel supply of coal to last us through winter, which we do,” Currie said.

Besides preparing the pipes and stockpiling coal, he said other workers have been preparing windows and doors to make sure they shut properly, along with numerous other little things.

“A lot of things are happening behind the scenes, but there are just too many to mention,” he said. “Basically, it is all the normal preparations you would do to get your house ready for winter.”

Those in charge of preparing the rest of campus for the season also have been hard at work, said Lester Lawson, assistant manager of Maintenance Services.

“The snow fences are all up, but very few are actually set up for snow,” he said. “Most of them are up to control traffic and keep people off the grass.”

The fences are in several campus areas, but those set up for the purpose of containing snow are along Elwood Drive, at the Towers Residence Association, the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Applied Sciences building.

Lawson said snow equipment also is ready to work.

“We have several brooms, blades and snow shovels set to go,” he said.

Depending on the snow, Lawson said it can take anywhere from hours to weeks to get it under control and clear the paths.

“If it is a fluffy snow, up to 2 or 3 inches, it can be removed in about eight hours,” he said. “But if there is ice and the snow is piling up to 12 inches and the wind is blowing, we can work on the paths for weeks to get it under control.”

Sand, salt and chloride are being stockpiled to use if the sidewalks become covered in ice.

Although facilities services doesn’t make the final call about school cancellations, its recommendations are considered by the Department of Public Safety.

“During snowfalls, we have guys out on their assigned route at about 2:30 a.m.,” Lawson said. “We call DPS no later than 5:30 a.m. if we feel we won’t have a majority of the campus cleared by 7:30 [a.m.]. They then take that information to the officials where the final decision is made.”