Cottonwood Heights • As a snowplow driver, Jake Brown says that “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas” is the one song of the season that he hates.
“‘I’ll be home for Christmas’ is better,” he says. But for eight straight years, Brown has not been home then. Snowstorms have kept him out working to keep others safe.
“It’s been eight years of not seeing my kids open their presents,” he says. “But if I can make things safe so people don’t wreck and can get to their family parties, that’s great” — and it’s a present he likes to give his fellow Utahns.
Forecasts again show possible snow on Christmas, so the Utah Department of Transportation held an event Thursday to draw attention to the sacrifices made by its 771 full-time snowplow drivers and their families, and to plead for others to show them some courtesy.
It is reminding drivers that passing snowplows is not safe, especially when they have wing blades attached to the midsection of trucks. They stick out eight feet to the side, but often are not visible because of snow flying from the front blades — even though UDOT has attached extra lights and poles above them. Sometimes people also force snowplows to crash.
“It’s not worth it to wreck a car or hurt your loved ones in the car for that extra second,” Brown said. “Just stay behind and practice safety.”
Families of the snowplow drivers told what they give up in order to help keep others safe.
Family members of snowplow driver Ben Lundgren say they wait for him to return before they open Christmas presents together, which isn’t easy on his four children, ages 6 to 13.
“The kids just know we wait until dad gets home from work, so they can open up their stockings and work through them,” says his wife, Cori. “The kids understand.”
But Lundgren says he tries to get at least an hour off so they can open presents quickly. “It’s hard on the kids to wait,” he said. He’s worked the past five straight Christmas Days.
Snowplow driver Robert Hall says he has worked nine of the past 10 Christmas Days because of snow. He says that during breaks when his truck adds salt, he will watch his 4-year-old son Truxton open presents via FaceTime.
Tayah Brown, daughter of snowplow driver Jake Brown, said her family used to try to wait for him to open presents, but it was too hard.
(Al Hartmann | Tribune ) UDOT snowplow works the heavy, wet snow on Nov. 17, 2017 in Big Cottonwood Canyon.
“When we wake up in the morning. Dad’s usually not home. We tried to wait to open presents, but it’s just been too many years in a row, so we go ahead and open them. Dad usually comes home for about an hour. At least he can open his presents,” Tayah said.
Another daughter, Korie, 10, adds she doesn’t mind because “I know he’s out there to keep the road safe and trying to get people to their Christmas and their families,”
Tayah said they always hope this will be a Christmas when their dad can be home.
“I just hope it snows on Christmas Eve and it’s done,” she said. “But it’s never like that.”
Jake Brown offered some advice to other drivers about his fellow snowplow drivers.
“Those guys are out there making the road safe for you to enjoy Christmas. Give them a wave,” he said. “Give them space. Let them do their jobs. Understand that they are out there to make the road safe for you.”