Fall River's Winter Woes: When Residents Take Snow Plows Into Their Own Hands

When winter descends with a vengeance, burying streets under a thick, often unforgiving blanket of white, most folks naturally expect their city to clear the way. But in Fall River, Massachusetts, after back-to-back heavy snowfalls, a decidedly different story is unfolding. Locals, thoroughly fed up with what they see as a painfully slow municipal response, have quite literally taken matters into their own hands, grabbing shovels, firing up snowblowers, and even deploying Bobcats to make their neighborhoods passable once more.

The sheer volume of snow – another foot piling up just recently – has left many residential streets feeling utterly neglected, a stark contrast to the somewhat clearer main arteries. Victor Deandrade, for instance, found himself spending a good chunk of a recent Saturday afternoon on Fifth Street, his snowblower roaring as he carved paths through the deep drifts. “There’s just nowhere for it to go, and it creates hazardous conditions,” he explained, gesturing at the towering snowbanks. “So we’re here to clean up and make sure it’s safe for people. It really shouldn’t be on us, you know, it’s the city’s job.”

His neighbor, Joe Furtado, echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the dangerous predicament of being effectively snowbound. “You can’t get out of your house, so you have to do it yourself,” he said with a sigh of resignation. Furtado also highlighted an equally pressing concern: the city’s catch basins. Many remain clogged from earlier storms, and with this fresh deluge, they’re completely buried. “They haven’t cleaned them up since the first snowstorm,” he warned, “and now with another foot, they’re all covered again. We’re going to have major problems with flooding once this starts to melt.” This isn't just about convenience; it’s about preventing a whole new set of headaches for homeowners. Elsewhere, on Eastern Avenue, Frank Andrade and his neighbor Mark Cabral dedicated hours, literally, to tackling their street, not with shovels, but with a Bobcat, driven by sheer necessity. “It took us about three hours just to get our section done,” Cabral recounted, “It’s a lot of work, but we’ve got to do it for our neighbors, especially the elderly.” And over on Palmer Street, Bob Camara wasn't just clearing his own driveway; he was extending his efforts to the street itself and even his elderly neighbor’s property, a true testament to community spirit.

Meanwhile, Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan has openly acknowledged the city’s uphill battle, offering insights into the formidable challenges his municipal crews are facing. He pointed to a couple of significant factors: a fleet of aging equipment, much of which is prone to breakdowns, and a persistent shortage of staff willing to take on the demanding, long hours of snowplowing. “We’re definitely behind the eight ball,” Coogan admitted, explaining that some equipment is “20, 30, even 40 years old.” Finding people to fill those plow positions, he added, “It’s a very difficult job. It’s long hours, and it’s hard to get people to do it.”

Despite the frustrations, Mayor Coogan assured residents that a plan is indeed in motion to tackle the remaining snow, though the priority, understandably, has been on clearing main roads before moving to secondary ones. He anticipates the cleanup will still take several more days, provided, of course, that no more snow decides to make an appearance. “We understand the frustration,” Coogan concluded, “We’re doing our best with the resources we have.” While the city grapples with its limitations, it’s clear that the tenacious spirit of Fall River’s residents, with their shovels and snowblowers in hand, is truly what’s keeping their community moving, one cleared path at a time.