Northeast storm

[mondayschild]

I'm thinking of all of our members who live in the coastal northeast. This storm is scary.

I live too far inland to be affected, although we are having high winds and I hope we don't lose power. I have been through storms of this type--three feet of snow and power outages, and they aren't fun. I hope all of you stay safe. Let is know how you are when you can.

[bookperson39]

We got zip here in my area of Michigan. About 7 inches at most. It had just started when I talked my daughter in Manhattan but a friend in the Boston area said they had 3 feet yesterday and it was still coming down.

[wkw99]

We got nada. Zero. Zilch. Nothin'. What a waste. I didn't want 13 inches, but I wanted a snow day.

Hope everyone on the east coast is safe and warm.

[lg66]

We got 15 inches by me, according to the meteorologists...I'm north of Manhattan. And my job is further north. Navigating my ambulance was so much fun without chains, my bosses were ill prepared for this storm...Tired I would guess from all that we did during hurricane Sandy....But we managed, responding to mostly minor injuries for those that got into accidents thankfully...People realized too late just how bad the roads were, drove anyway, and it's a costly misjudgment...Body shops all over the tri-state area will be in business through the springtime...lol...The LIE was converted to a parking lot last night, or a car graveyard, as people abandoned their vehicles n walked..Some I heard slept in their vehicles overnight n had to be rescued in the morning having run out of gas n heat overnight running the engines to stay warm....But it was pretty to see all that snow on all the trees....Nothing like NY in the wintertime....You'd think knowing we are prone to significant snowfalls, we'd be more prepared for them..lol....I know Mamaroneck n Portchester got 23 inches, n Milford CT I believe they got 40 inches....wow....

[alphamare]

We got a little over 2 feet. My family is okay, thankfully. I worry about the people still without power from Sandy.


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[lovejustified]

Coastal Massachusetts - we really took a hit. Not so much snow (16"-18") because there was some rain mixed in. Unfortunately that makes it weigh a ton. Our biggest problem was the wind. It hit 80 mph here and combined with the heavy snow there are trees and powerlines down everywhere. Here is a picture from the end of my street. The wind just blew the telephone poles over.



You will notice the road is not even blocked to traffic because there are not enough utility crews, police, and little orange cones to go around.

[weegieburd]

That is not good LJ, my thoughts and prayers are with you.

[mondayschild]

This is why I started this thread. I was worried about what some of you were facing. I knew that you, lj , would be heavily impacted. And lg66, you people are our heroes.

I needed ambulance services several times for both my husband and my mom during the last months of their lives. The EMTs were so kind and incredibly competent. They gave me so much reassurance that they would make sure my loved ones got to the emergency room safely.

But we are seeing more and more devastating weather disasters. It is unreasonable to expect that our emergency responders be on call and be at top form week after week. You are not machines. You are human beings. States and municipalities are working with limited budgets and a shortage of manpower in some areas. And in the case of Hurricane Sandy, some of our federal legislators wanted to make sure that we cut federal spending before providing relief for those who were devastated by the storm. (And they are the same people who deny climate change.)

Right now we are hearing about the tornadoes in Mississippi. This is coming at the same time as those in the northeast are struggling with the heavy snows and winds. These are extremely costly disasters. We are going to have to figure out how we can fund the recovery costs and the manpower needed to respond to these events.

Our emergency responders carry on, no matter what. I have nothing but praise for you. You are truly saints. I just wish that you had the back-up that you need.

[Dolphin]

Best wishes to you in the Northeast. It seems you all have been through enough for a long, long time.

[ripetebook]

From Ripetebook-we got all of 6" and it moved on. I was prepared for the promised 12" but we got passed by...thanks for the concern.

[lg66]

Mondayschild, thank you so much for the kind words...I'm so glad that you received kindhearted EMT's and not the burnt out or new jack ones who don't understand this job they took on...I don't see myself as a "hero", and honestly I don't like being called that...To me, my job is instead a calling..I had an uncle who was a firefighter that taught me CPR n first aid at the age of ten...I knew then and there the path I would take...I was NEVER a standby n do nothing kinda gal...I once faceplanted a guy on a bar counter at a club, ala Raylan Givens style, cause he was smacking a girl around...Literally beating her, and no one did a thing...That girl was my best friend...The guy was at the time her boyfriend...That was till I busted his nose...I wasn't in EMS yet at the time...The bouncers threw him out, I sat with her for hours n explained that no love required being beaten for to have or keep...And I made sure she felt good about herself before I took her home safe and sound...I to this day have a side of me that goes to bat for my patients, especially those with no families, when I see aides nurses or doctors doing wrong by them...I am EXTREMELY voicetrous on the subject of neglecting a persons needs or rights simply because another person is too self absorbed or can't be bothered to properly care for them....I honestly tried desk jobs many years ago, but found myself like a caged tiger...I do what I do because I love helping people with my training and knowledge...We don't get paid well, have long hours, sometimes minimal equipment and bad weather hinder us....But having a family member come up to you days later and say Thank You, cause you gave someone they love an extra few days/weeks/months/maybe even years with them, is a PRICELESS moment that makes all I endure to do my job right pay off....It's the most rewarding thing I cannot express in words...Yes, I lose the battle between God, the Devil and myself sometimes...But when I win, It's not being hero, its being a compassionate human being that cares for their fellow man regardless of prejudice... That's something a roast beef n swiss with lettuce and tomato can never be....lol.....But THANK YOU...From the bottom of my heart and from all of us in EMS....

[lg66]

On a side note, I've been doing this 21 year's now....When terrorism became prevalent, we were all introduced to Weapons of Mass Destruction training...Hazmat training and awareness, use of all those space suit looking personal protective equipment.... Radiation monitors. Now, that in itself makes one takes pause in their career choices...Then Hurricane Sandy rolls through town and up ends your existence, to use Raylan's words, and you consider that maybe you're starting to get too old for this $hit...However, it passes.....Now drop not one, but TWO meteors down upon us and all of us emergency personal scramble to not only answer the call, but figure out how in the hell do you prepare for that!!!!? Everyone thinks the Devil has a sick sense of humor...But God, he's gotta wicked one....Be safe out there everyone...Ya never know....And Monday ,I am sorrry for loss...Time can only help us deal with what we can't change. The scars only close over and sting less painfully...They never really heal completely...