We lost co-worker Trent P. Haines to a workplace accident on December 27, 2017. Trent, 52, was the leader of a three-person crew that was loading road salt into the storage dome at the Public Works, West District Roads & Operations facility at the time of the tragedy.
The loss was devastating within Public Works and saddened all Louisville Metro employees. West District Operations Manager, Barry Clyde described Trent as “one of nicest people you’d ever meet,” and said he was “always looking out for everybody.” During a heavily attended remembrance on December 28th at the West District, co-worker after co-worker said they “never saw him angry” during the ten years Trent was with Public Works.
Trent was hired in 2006 as an equipment operator, was promoted in 2009 to senior equipment operator, and in 2012 to crew leader. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, who also attended the remembrance, recalled riding in a snow plow with Trent, and patching potholes with him at the beginnings of those seasons to help draw attention to the work performed by the Snow Team and road maintenance crews. Fischer called Trent’s death “a tragedy for our entire city - and a reminder of the difficult and potentially dangerous work city employees do every day to keep Louisville safe. The tragedy occurred at the salt dome, where employees were serving our citizens by making preparations to keep our roads clean and clear during the holidays. My deepest condolences to the family, friends and co-workers.”
Excerpts from a 2014 interview with radio station WFPL-FM: “Snow plow driver Trent Haines laughed when he was asked about last winter. ‘Last year was probably one of the worst winters I’ve seen as far as the time we had to put in,’ said Haines. And he and his colleagues are ready to do it all over again….
Haines said his job is to help people in Louisville. ‘When they’re able to get to work and take care of their families and take care of their job, and you know you had some small part in that, it's gratifying – it really is,’ Haines said. As for family time, Haines said ‘the family knows that pretty much, in the winter, you belong to the city.’ It’s a dangerous job that can, at times, stir fear in drivers, he said....
‘The snow makes the street look different,’ he said. And snow plow drivers always try to be aware of other vehicles on the road. Motorists can help, Haines said, by giving snow plow drivers space and being deliberate in their movements on the roadway. ‘Help us help you,’ Haines said.” (Jacob Ryan (https://wfpl.org/author/jacob-ryan/)