My recent December 2020 post shared our workamper experience at Northeast Texas Community College, so I hadn’t planned on writing another post about our time here. However, after our boss asked me to write about our contributions during the recent weather drama that was “Snowmageddon 2021” for another publication, I decided that I would share it here too…
Workampers Save the Day at NTCC article:
During Feb 10-17, 2021, two major storms had a widespread impact across the US and especially in the state of Texas. Governor Greg Abbot declared a state of emergency for all of Texas’ 254 counties in response to the severe winter weather impacting Texas. Mass power outages, frozen and broken water lines, water and food shortages, and persistent sub-freezing weather conditions combined to create a crisis that was unprecedented in its scope and severity
Tom Ramler, Director of Plant Services at Northeast Texas Community College (NTCC), knew he had a good deal going with his Workamper Program. In the last 4 years, a team of RV volunteers has helped his maintenance crew with needs around the college campus in exchange for a campsite. Overall, they have contributed well over 4000 volunteer hours to benefit the school. What Ramler didn’t realize was how having this dedicated set of workers would save the day during a winter storm and freeze unlike any the state has experienced.
During this emergency just about everything was closed down, including schools. Even though no classroom instruction was happening at NTCC, the Agriculture (Ag) Department animals still needed care and feeding. When employees could not get into work due to bad road conditions, the ten workamper volunteers stepped into action. Using 4×4 utility vehicles (UTVs) they were able to traverse the campus and get to the two animal compounds across the highway.
One compound contains close to 90 cows and bulls on 250 acres of school land. These livestock needed to be fed and watered for their survival. Buckets of feed had to be delivered to three animal enclosures and hay bales had to be delivered to the pastures. In addition, patrolling for new baby calves and keeping an eye on weaker animals was crucial during the freezing temperatures. About 40 new calves had been born this season—several during this crazy week! One brave workamper even waded into the river to pull out a trapped and shivering calf.
Water was a significant issue as the severe cold continued and water troughs and pipes began freezing. At first, buckets were filled and carried by tractor to the troughs. By midweek, it was necessary to haul the water on the UTVs from the other side of campus after the tractors and Ag pipes froze. The dedicated volunteers did this twice a day in freezing temperatures to help care for all these animals.
The other Ag compound houses the pigs, chickens, goats, turkeys, geese, and donkeys. What is normally a lively area with animals roaming in their pens became a lonely sea of white snow as the animals huddled together. Special attention was needed for the 25 baby goats recently born, including several during the storm. A covered enclosure with special warming lamps was set up to keep the young ones warm. Volunteers checked on the goats several times a day and provided additional food and water for the mama goats nursing their young.
In addition to taking care of the animals, workampers did their best to help in other areas as needed. They discovered a spraying water leak from a burst pipe in the nearby greenhouse and worked to quickly shut it off. They also helped repair a broken water pipe at the rodeo area and pulled out several stuck vehicles. Their round-the-clock monitoring and filling of a kerosene heater in the Plant Services warehouse prevented vehicles and supplies from freezing up.
The workampers were happy to be able to help during this unusual winter crisis. Not only did they figure out ways to help the school and the animals as an impromptu on-call emergency response crew, but they were also working to keep their RVs safe from the weather. Their water lines did freeze for a few days, but luckily, they had water tanks onboard to use. Fortunately, they did not lose electricity as space heaters were a big help when temperatures reached -1⁰!
As Ramler and his staff returned to work after “Snowmageddon”, they reflected on the help of the workamper volunteers. All the animals were cared for and safe, as were school personnel who did not have to brave dangerous roads trying to get to the campus. Damage from broken water pipes was minimized, preventing more significant repairs. Finally, the Plant Services building, supplies, and vehicles were spared from freezing temperatures. The Workamper Program proved to be a double blessing during this unprecedented storm crisis when his volunteers put in well over 125 hours to save the day at NTCC.
I love this story! Beautifully written, but I would expect nothing less! It made me so proud that you, Mike, and your friends there were able to be such a huge help during that disastrous week! So jealous you got to take care of the animals! I bet there was a lot of livestock that perished in the storm, and I’m thankful y’all were there to take care of them, especially the babies. May I share on my FB page??
Susan, thank you so much for the kind words. I am happy to have you share any of my posts on your FB page. We were so happy to be here and help the college and the animals during such unprecedented weather. We did lose a few animals, but overall were able to help the majority of them. Working with the animals is definitely my favorite part of workamping at NTCC!
So proud of you guys! You and your fellow campers saved the day! Great story and we are so glad you helped out the animals there!
Thanks Cindy & John–we really love working with the animals here and were so glad we could help out during the severe winter weather.
What an amazing and blessed week for all of you, not only protecting and caring for all the animals and especially all the babies; but helping to keep the buildings and college from even worse damage.
Thanks Mom–we really enjoy working with the animals and were thankful that we could help them during the severe winter weather!
I really just thought of humans during that storm. I’m glad y’all were in the right place at the right time to be farmer/rancher to the livestock. Kudos.
Hi Pam–I would never have thought about the animals either had we not been here. It’s been great to help with them during normal times and especially to be involved with protecting them during the severe winter weather.
Wow, what an awesome story! I’m so glad to hear you all were on hand to help. There are so many stories about the human impact of events like these, but we often forget to think of the animals who are in harm’s way as well. It’s even more impressive that you were able to do all this while living in RVs. That kind of cold is unthinkable in a house, much less an RV. I’m glad you all stayed safe and warm.
We were so glad that we were there to help the animals during the severe weather. I agree with you– had I not been there I probably wouldn’t have thought about the plight of so many animals either. As far as being in the RV we did start worrying a little bit when the temps got so low, but as long as our electricity held out we were good. After hearing how many others across the state lost power I think we were extremely lucky. I highly recommend a few space heaters if you are ever in really cold weather. Although….why we were there during such cold weather is beyond me! lol
What an amazing story and so happy you were able to share your many and incredible talents. This story should have made national news!
Hi Dana, we were so happy that we were there to help out with all of the animals. There was so much going on over the whole state during this winter crisis that we were lucky to be in a pretty good place without losing power. Hope y’all are doing well!
Nice going everyone! You were at the right place at the right time! Hope no issues from those freezing temps to your units. I grew up with a family farm and know how devastated things could have turned out without all your efforts. Well done!
Hi Bob and Dana,
Yes we definitely were happy we could be in the right place to help out the college and to take care of the animals. Not growing up on a farm, I didn’t realize how that job is really 24/7 even in bad weather. Luckily our coach seems to have weathered the storms well and we stayed warm and dry.
WOW ! God bless you all for helping taking care of these animals in one of their greatest times of need. This really warmed my heart and I know these animals are thankful for all that you did for them. I am a true animal lover and more caring and compassionate people are needed in this world for this very purpose! Thank you all 🙂
Hi Sandi,
I am an animal lover too and have had such fun being able to learn all about cows, goats, pigs, and chickens here. We were very happy to have been able to help out with their care during the severe winter weather.