Sewer camera to retired military vehicle; Wilmington demo day gives residents hands-on look at city equipment
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WWAY) — Wilmington residents got an up-close look Wednesday at some of the equipment and technology city crews use every day as part of National Public Works Week.
Several city departments gathered at the Skyline Center for Wilmington’s Demo Day event, showcasing everything from bulldozers and dump trucks to police vehicles and specialized equipment used behind the scenes.
Solid Waste, Stormwater Services, Traffic Engineering and other city departments participated, giving residents a closer look at tools many people do not typically see.
One item drawing attention was a robotic sewer camera used to inspect stormwater pipes.
“It gets a lot of questions as to what it is and why we use it,” said Aaron Beckner, assistant director of transportation for the City of Wilmington.
Beckner said the camera has helped crews discover unexpected items inside the city’s stormwater system over the years.
“You know people are kind of surprised by what we find in the pipes, it can be a number of things,” Beckner said.
According to Beckner, crews have found antifreeze, trash, cats, alligator skulls and even firearms.
“It’s not very often, but we have found a few guns in the past and we call police and they come gather it up,” he said.
Beckner said those discoveries serve as a reminder that storm drains function differently than household plumbing systems.
“People have a misconception that when you flush your toilet or you run your sink in your house, that water goes to a treatment plant and it gets treated before it goes to the river, the storm water system does not,” Beckner said.
The event also featured a retired military vehicle used by the Wilmington Police Department during emergency situations.
Officer Adam Phillips said the department’s MATV was donated after military service and helps officers respond during severe weather and rescue operations.
The vehicle was previously used during responses to Hurricane Dorian in 2019 and Hurricane Isaias in 2020.
“You often see the Tahoes and the Mustangs and the other trucks that are out here today but everyone has seen one of those, not everyone gets to see one of these,” Phillips said.
In addition to showcasing city services, officials encouraged job seekers to attend and learn more about career opportunities within city departments.
