In our attempt to recognize those people whose hard work made driving safer for the rest of us, we neglected to give credit everywhere credit is due.

An editorial published in Wednesday’s paper credited the S.C. Department of Transportation crews for clearing roads after the winter storm that dumped up to 5 inches of snow on Union County Sunday night and Monday morning.

Our words touched a nerve — and rightly so — with local public works directors.

Lisa Ward, public works director for Union County, wrote a letter, which is published elsewhere on this page: “I feel compelled to clarify the work of all other crews that made Union County passable,” she wrote. ... “I just want my employees to be praised for their efforts also.”

Perry Harmon, public works director for the City of Union, had similar thoughts in a fax he sent us Thursday morning: “First, let me agree with you on the fine job the SCDOT does not only during a snow event but during any snow event,” he wrote. “Union has a team from SCDOT, Union County Road Department, City of Union Street Department, sheriff’s office, city police department, all fire departments, 911 office, utilities departments and many more agencies that work together for the public not only in storms but in good weather too.”

He went on to say that his department was there “at the first flake” monitoring radio communications during the storm for several departments throughout the county and that our editorial “failed to give credit to many hard working women and men in the county.”

The City of Union Street Department dispatched several pieces of equipment to clear and sand all city streets (of which 75 percent inside the city are state maintained roads), Harmon said. Also, fallen tree limbs were removed from roadways throughout the city by street crews and public safety officers.

An oil plug vibrated loose from a sander, causing the equipment to be shut down until a solution was found by the city shop, with help from NAPA, Harmon said. Afterwards, the vehicle returned to duty.

“So when you are handing out credit (and thank you for doing that), please include everyone from the county sanding the hospital — to 911 relaying calls — to volunteers with fire departments reporting on conditions — to us all (especially my co-workers) who were out there while you were sleeping to make your roads safe.”

Thanks to both of you for speaking out, and thanks to everyone who helped make our roads safe.