How the Iowa DOT and State Patrol prepare for winter weather

Parts of the state saw snowfall for the first time this winter, although it didn't stick around long in most places.

Responding to weather events like Saturday's requires weeks of preparation from those in charge of keeping roads safe.

"We've actually been working on winter operations, preparations for over a month now," said Craig Bargfrede, the Iowa DOT's winter operations administrator. Bargfrede oversees more than a thousand maintenance staff members in over a hundred garages statewide.

Even though the last few weeks' weather was mild, his staff have been hard at work prepping for Saturday.

"Getting equipment out of cold storage, plows, spreaders, all the pieces of equipment that are mounted on our trucks," he said. "Doing all the maintenance that needs to be done."

While the week