By Kelli Day

Imagine waking up in McCall after a night of storms dumping inches and inches (and inches) of snow on the ground. It’s the weekend, and you’re itching to get to the ski hill—gliding down the mountainside, yipping and hollering with big, gleeful grins on your face. 

Well, in order for that magical scenario to happen, you need more than just snow. You need clear roads to get you there. 

Lucky for us, the City of McCall has an incredible team of street operators working through the night to make sure that happens. Whether you’re chasing powder stashes at our local ski resorts, dropping kiddos off at school, or heading in to start your workday—whatever it may be—you’re relying on those roads being safe and passable. 

But do you know what actually happens in the wee hours of the night to make that possible? 

A. Lot. Of. Things. 

First up, there’s supervisor Larry Swift, who’s lived in the McCall/New Meadows area his entire life and has worked as a street operator for the city for over 20 years. His day—if you can call it that—often starts at midnight. His first task is checking the city’s snow stake to assess how much snow has fallen and how much more is expected. If it’s enough, that’s when the phone tree begins. 

One by one, Larry starts calling his team and waking them up. 

Andy Brodhecker, another longtime local and lead operator, can usually sleep soundly most nights but always knowing full well that at any moment, Larry’s call could come in. These long nights and rough hours don’t just affect the workers—they affect their families too. As Andy shared, for most of his daughter’s life, she hated the snow. From November 1st to April 1st, it’s all hands-on deck for the street operators. No vacations. No sick days. No “I’m too tired” moments. A beautiful white Christmas in McCall? That means something else for this family- dads at work missing those Christmas morning traditions.  

Once the call comes in from Larry, the team makes their way to the city yard—often driving through the very unplowed roads they’re about to clear. Their official start time is 2:00 a.m. Fueled by coffee and warmed-up machines, Larry, Andy, and their team of seven highly trained operators get to work. 

They function like a well-oiled machine (just like their snowplows), clearing city streets as safely and efficiently as possible. And efficient they are—but what many people don’t realize is that even during a normal snowfall, they’re often working 10–12 hour shifts. And as we all know…McCall doesn’t always get “normal” snowfalls. 

Snowmageddon, anyone? 

During that unforgettable winter, this team worked every single day in February. Every. Day. All. Month. And one day, they worked a 23-hour shift—stopping for just one hour to eat pizza. 

Despite all of this, Larry, Andy, and their team remain incredibly humble. When I asked what they wanted the public to know about the work they do, it wasn’t about the long days, the exhaustion, or the danger. They weren’t looking for accolades or sympathy for the sacrifices made by them and their families. What they wanted to talk about—over and over again—was safety. 

They care deeply about this community. About drivers. Pedestrians. Kids. Dogs. Everyone. The machines they operate are massive—up to 66,000 pounds. They don’t stop like cars. They don’t maneuver like cars. And for the sake of your life—and the lives of others—they ask for patience. 

So, next time you find yourself stuck behind the snowplow, perhaps just imagine the snowplow is like a school bus with its big red stop sign out. Yes, Highway 55 can feel long when you’re stuck behind a plow. Yes, the snow at the ski hills gets tracked out earlier and earlier each year. Yes, school only allows so many tardies. But please—give snowplow drivers respect and space. 

Andy, Larry, and their entire team love what they do. They feel honored to get to work on something so paramount to the safety of a city and their people. They are grateful to have stable jobs and great retirement plans. Heck, during our interview they even were boasting about how great the benefits are with this career choice and they think more people should look into it. They feel blessed to have a solid crew too, one that has your back no matter the circumstances. A team that is fast and efficient, hardworking and most importantly, works as a team, from side-by-side plowing that is needed at times, to helping clear roads that might not be on your route if someone else’s route is taking longer than usual.   

At the end of the day, the street operator’s team aren’t out there for recognition. They’re not looking for praise or applause. They’re simply doing their jobs—quietly, consistently, and with a deep sense of responsibility for the community they call home. And even if it’s in the middle of the night or every day for a month straight, they feel lucky and grateful to get to be there doing this unique job.   

So, the next time you wake up to freshly plowed roads, or safely make it to work, school, or the ski hill after a storm, remember that it wasn’t magic. It was people. People that enjoy what they do, despite the hard work doing it.  

And that’s what makes them true hometown heroes.