A Spring Valley Department of Public Works employee reached out to the Turn To Tara team with a warning: the snowplow fleet meant to keep roads safe this winter is so broken down that it could put lives at risk.

Cynthia Guallpa, a worker at Spring Valley's DPW, showed News 12 senior investigative reporter Tara Rosenblum the plows that she says are not only outdated, but also dangerous.

This includes rusted springs and even gas tanks corroded to the point where pieces snap off in her hands.

"It's scary. I fear for my life," she says. “I wanted to speak out with you and your team because I fear that someone is going to die. And I don't want that on my conscience."

The safety concerns in Spring Valley go well beyond snowplows.

For more than a decade, News 12's "Playing With Fire" investigation has exposed deadly lapses in safety oversight. Now, inspection records the Turn To Tara team obtained reveal more dangers inside the DPW.

Despite video of rusted frames and collapsing parts of the plows, regulators described the plow trucks as showing only "normal wear and tear."

"I witnessed with my own eyes defects in the vehicles," says Guallpa. "Honestly, I feel like a forensic audit needs to happen."

Guallpa says the village has repeatedly denied their repair requests as DPW staffing declines - falling from 30 employees in 2018 to just 12 currently.

In a statement to the Turn to Tara team, state officials confirm multiple inspections at the Spring Valley DPW, but they call it an open investigation and won't comment further.

Spring Valley Mayor Alan Simon released the following statement:

"I believe that our fleet, which is designed to take care of the snow, may be old, but when we put it out on the street it will be in the best condition possible and meet all standards of safety. We are in a process of trying to purchase a new vehicle, which we will have in service in time for the anticipated snow season. This village will not put out a vehicle to clear the snow that doesn't meet minimum safety standards. This village and the employees of this village can be assured of that. There are issues, in reference to some of the drivers, not having maintained their vehicles appropriately nor clean them appropriately after using salt in the sprinkle and snow removal process. We are taking care of that this year and plan to use only vehicles that have passed the test of safety and usability."