Oregon Public Broadcasting

Congress may spend hundreds of billions of dollars in its upcoming session to put people back to work. But this week Mother Nature is doing that in the Inland Northwest.

The new cottage industry in the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene area is: snow removal. Correspondent Doug Nadvornick reports.

Go to the Labor and Moving section of Spokane’s Craig’s List and you’ll see a long list of people who are offering snow removal services.

Have snowblower, will travel. Or there’s the latest niche, rooftop snow removal.

This is serious stuff. Roofs are collapsing from the weight of the snow and not just little carports with flat tops. This week part of a supermarket roof collapsed.

People like Darmon Gibbs are making a few extra bucks with a shovel and a strong back.

Darmon Gibbs: “It’s just me and my nephew are doing it. It’s pretty good money, but it takes a toll on you and your body as well.”

Unlike Gibbs, some of the Craig’s List crews advertise themselves as licensed and bonded contractors. And those are the companies the Spokane Fire Department is steering people to.

Officials are urging homeowners not to climb out on their icy roofs to do the work themselves.