[Labor of Love - Public Works Utility Operations ]
[00:00:05]
HI, I'M STACY ROGERS AND THIS IS YOUR VERY FIRST EPISODE OF OUR NEW SEGMENT, LABOR OF LOVE, WHERE WE BRING YOU ALONGSIDE SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AT THE CITY OF PLANO AND SHOW YOU WHAT IT TAKES TO DO VARIOUS JOBS HERE.FIRST STEP UTILITY OPERATIONS TEAM HERE.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET INTO TODAY, BUT LET'S GET STARTED.
TODAY I AM SHADOWING MAINTENANCE WORKER TO JOSEPH AND CREW LEADER DONALD.
AS THEY SWAP OUT AN ANGLE, STOP THAT STUCK IN THE ON POSITION.
MOST PEOPLE CALL IT THE SHUTOFF VALVE.
GOING TO THE METER BOX, OPEN IT UP, AND WE CHECK FOR CONSUMPTION.
SO HE SAID 10 TIMES ROUND IS ONE GALLON.
THEY HAVE AN ACTIVE LEAK AND YOU CAN SEE THAT? MM-HMM.
LET ME DO ONE, LET ME DO ONE PUSH DOWN AND
DID YOU WANT TO GET A SCOOP OF ICE CREAM?
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET A BIG SCOOP ANYWHERE.
HE SAID I COULD HAVE A LITTLE SCOOP
NO ONE TOLD ME I'D BE HITTING THE GYM THIS MORNING.
I'LL SPARE YOU THESE NEXT FEW MINUTES OF DIRT DIGGING.
NOW COMES THE CRIMPING, SHUTTING OFF THE WATER SO THE SHUTOFF VALVE CAN BE REPLACED UP.
MAKES OUR JOB A LITTLE EASIER.
THEN THE BACKFLOW FROM THE HOUSE COMES THROUGH.
BUT DON'T WORRY, IT'S POTABLE WATER.
WE TAKE THE HAMMERS TO HIT IT ON BOTH SIDES TO KIND OF LOOSEN.
THEY HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT DOING THIS.
IF THAT PIPE TWISTS, THEY'D BE REPLACING A LOT MORE THAN THE SHUTOFF VALVE.
NOW THEY HAVE TO UN CRIMP AND GET THE PIPE BACK TO NORMAL AND USE THE METER WRENCHES TO INSTALL THE COUPLING.
DO YOU WANT MORE OF A WORKOUT? YES.
THIS PART TAKES SOME ELBOW GREASE.
IT'S LIKE YOU'RE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO POP IT.
NOW TIME TO TURN THE WATER BACK ON.
AND WE LOOK AROUND, WE SEE ANY LEAKS.
MAKE SURE WE CHECK OUR WORK AND WE'RE GOOD TO GO.
SO THE PLUMBER CAN OUT AND DO HIS JOB NOW.
SO THIS GIVES IT THE EASY ACCESS TO NOW THEY CAN JUST TURN IT WITH ONE HAND SMOOTH LIKE BROTHER.
NOW THEY'RE PUTTING IN A NEW PLASTIC VALVE BOX UNDERGROUND.
'CAUSE IF YOU WEREN'T, THINGS WOULD GO WRONG.
OF COURSE, I HAD TO JUMP IN AND HELP WITH A SCOOPER TWO.
YOU LOOK AT IT FUN LIKE EXERCISE.
YOU KNOW, YOU DO DAILY EXERCISE.
IF YOU FIND THAT FUN, THE FINAL STEP IS LEAVING SOME SANDY DIRT OVER THE TOP TO HELP THE GRASS GROW BACK AS THIS CHICK IS PURE
THIS WAS ARGUABLY THE MOST FUN PART OF THE JOB FOR ME.
WHILE WE WRAP UP HERE, I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT MAKES THESE GUYS WANT TO COME TO WORK EVERY DAY AND DO THEIR JOB.
FOR ME, THIS IS A SIMPLE SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT.
JUST FOR ME, ORDER TO THE CHAOS.
SO WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT THIS JOB WHO ARE TRYING TO GET INTO THIS FIELD? IT CAN BE AS FULFILLING AS YOU WANT IT TO BE.
YOU COME IN WITH A GOOD ATTITUDE.
AND YOU, UH, WAKE UP EVERY DAY WANTING TO BE THERE, WANTING TO DO IT.
KEEP IN MIND, AT THE CITY OF PLANO, IF YOU WANNA BE A MAINTENANCE WORKER LIKE JOSEPH, YOU COULD COME IN WITH NO EXPERIENCE AND GET HIRED.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THIS JOB? IT'S QUIET.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HAVE GREAT, UH, COWORKERS.
YOU TELL EACH OTHER COMES A LITTLE BIT OF A FAMILY AT TIMES.
NOW JOSEPH AND DONALD WRAP UP THE JOB, TAKE PICTURES OF THEIR WORK AND HEAD TO THE NEXT ONE.
DOING ABOUT THREE OR FOUR OF THESE IN ONE DAY.
THEY SAY BEING A PART OF TEAM PLANO MAKES THEM PROUD AND ENCOURAGE ANYONE INTERESTED TO JOIN.
THAT'S IT FOR OUR VERY FIRST EPISODE OF OUR NEW SEGMENT.
WE'LL HAVE PLENTY OF OTHER EPISODES TO COME.
THIS IS LABOR OF LOVE WITH THE CITY OF PLANO.