When the City Freezes, He Jumps Into Action

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Jesus Melendez, of The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY), has has spent the past five of his 12 years on the job as a district super operations assistant. Working out of the Manhattan 2 garage in the West Village and SoHo area, he is being honored for his heroic response during the snow removal that began during the 2025 holiday season and reached new heights (literally and figuratively) at the beginning of 2026.

“We had a winter like we haven’t had in a few years,” said Melendez. “Everything froze up.” That didn’t stop him from getting the job done.

“The heroic stuff was our fast response time.”

Melendez led by example, “coming into work during the storm, proving that sanitation is one of the best out there by working 14 hours a day, still going home to take care of family life, and then coming back to work the very next day.”

During those cold winter months, “I did a little bit of everything,” with no days off, fighting the storm to get the streets cleared within a day for the emergency services, the police and fire departments, and picking up trash within four days.

Despite the harrowing weather conditions, Melendez admitted that “the snow was one of my favorite parts” of the job that also includes refuse and recycling pickup and cleaning the litter baskets.

He’s genuinely grateful to provide the service that gets trash off the streets and makes everything safer and cleaner.

“I love helping people; being there for others. I’m always going above and beyond. I’m always helping out the sanitation workers. I’m also a shop steward here.”

Even though Melendez insists he’s a sanitation worker through and through, working out in the streets on the weekends, he currently spends weekdays in the office, where he’s able to help his colleagues more directly.

“All daily operations run through me. I take care of all the personnel scheduling, answer the phones, and help [co-workers] with their functions.” He’s also the go-to for the public.

But even the most satisfying 9-to-5s have their challenges. Aside from weather conditions, Melendez cites traffic and being hypervigilant when handling the garbage because workers are never sure about what people put in the trash.

When he leaves the DSNY, Melendez heads home to his three daughters, ages 3, 14, and 22.

“We’re constantly outside at the park, or walking the dog, preparing dinner, grocery or clothes shopping. Or just simply enjoying the night. I make sure that they have everything that they need.”