Frizzman
US Veteran
In 1980, this area was hit by a blizzard that dropped about three feet of snow on the area. I was a new patrolman on a city department and saw how it paralysed the area with people stranded in cars on roads and ditches...I lived in the next city over and couldn't get home for nearly three days. The conditions became so bad that all units were ordered to go to closest precinct or firehouse. Police units were stranded. There was no police, fire or rescue in service. I was sent to HQ and put on a phone in dispatch center. I had the experience of taking calls from desperate people and having to tell them there was nothing we could do.
That experience and others taught me that you never know when you may be on your own and have to fend for yourself. Such weather is rare here but there other things that can happen. So I have things in my car such as water, snacks, blankets or sleeping bag, medications, flashlight and batteries, battery radio, a small shovel, jumper cables and some basic tools and fire starting items. It doesnt take up that much room but if I had to spend a night or two in the car in bad weather I would be ok.
Hopefully, many people have learned this lesson without injury or death. Reality and nature teach hard lessons and don't care about excuses. It doesn't take much time or money to prepare for such situations. There was a situation here where the two major tunnels coming into the area were both blocked. Traffic was backed up and at a stop for twenty miles. Many people spent eight hours or more in their vehicles. Fortunately, it was fair weather. If a major hurricane comes this way, we will see this and much worse again.
That experience and others taught me that you never know when you may be on your own and have to fend for yourself. Such weather is rare here but there other things that can happen. So I have things in my car such as water, snacks, blankets or sleeping bag, medications, flashlight and batteries, battery radio, a small shovel, jumper cables and some basic tools and fire starting items. It doesnt take up that much room but if I had to spend a night or two in the car in bad weather I would be ok.
Hopefully, many people have learned this lesson without injury or death. Reality and nature teach hard lessons and don't care about excuses. It doesn't take much time or money to prepare for such situations. There was a situation here where the two major tunnels coming into the area were both blocked. Traffic was backed up and at a stop for twenty miles. Many people spent eight hours or more in their vehicles. Fortunately, it was fair weather. If a major hurricane comes this way, we will see this and much worse again.
