Archive for December, 2009
Most people were not prepared to spend the night in snowbound cars and trucks on a closed stretch of New York State Thruway the other day. Eventually, they were guided off the highway Friday, but travel remained treacherous in the southwest corner of New York State and into Pennsylvania.
“It was very difficult. The weather was not cooperating,” state police Capt. Michael Nigrelli said of efforts to clear the way for motorists to exit a 52-mile stretch of Interstate 90 between Dunkirk, N.Y. and Erie, Pa., which was closed because of howling winds and blowing snow about 1:30 a.m. Friday.
“People were cold, they were hungry and they were tired.”
Troopers, Chautauqua County sheriff’s deputies and officers from the Border Patrol and U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement used all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles to check on those stranded during the all-night ordeal, topping off gas tanks so engines could run for heat and advising against trying to walk for help in gusting wind and snow.
“They had to stay inside their vehicles, stay as warm as they could and stay put,” Nigrelli said. “It was very dangerous for people to exit their vehicles and try to walk in an unfamiliar area in freezing temperatures with very low visibility.”
Indeed, had they been prepared for this type of disaster, they could have coped more easily. Those who now read this blog should take heed and plan in advance for any kind of emergency with 72-Hour Emergency Disaster Recovery Kits. They are designed for a single person, couples, families up to schools, workplaces, etc. Discounts are available. Bite the bullet for a low cost and keep these kits handy in your vehicle. Be Prepared in advance.