A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 AM EST MONDAY.

SNOW IS EXPECTED TO OVERSPREAD THE REGION THIS EVENING. THE SNOW WILL INCREASE IN INTENSITY BY LATE EVENING AND THEN BEGIN TO MIX WITH SLEET BY AROUND MIDNIGHT. THE PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE TO ALL SLEET FOR SEVERAL HOURS LATE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY
MORNING. MIXED PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE BACK TO ALL SNOW BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. STORM TOTAL SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS BY EARLY MONDAY MORNING ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 8 TO 14 INCHES.

IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY SNOW...WINDS WILL INCREASE INTO THE 20 TO 30 MPH RANGE LATE SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH. THIS WILL CREATE SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...WITH NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AT TIMES FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON INTO SUNDAY EVENING.

Lovely. Well I've always said that if it's winter, let it snow. Guess we'll have a white Christmas after all.

Called the Chief to get his take on things, and he told me that himself and the 1st Asst. Chief will both be out of town due to their work commitments. That leaves me in charge in case anything happens during the weather event. We discussed things and met at the fire house to run over our plans.

Biggest problem will be access to individual houses. People with long uphill driveways may be isolated for a few days. We may get a chance to try out our brand new Rosenbauer Timberwolf AWD pumper. I hope not.

We set up the Hill Hopper (brush truck) with 150 feet of 1 3/4 with a TFT. It only carries 200 gallons but we may be able to do a quick knockdown on a chimney fire that's gotten into the wall.

We put the Stokes basket in the ambulance. At the house here we have a pile of blankets to take along in case we have to sled someone 1/4 of a mile from house to road. The Hill Hopper has a trailer hitch mounted platform that we'll use IF we can get up the driveway; the Stokes will fit nicely onto it so we won't have to sled the patient. Someone's going to have to be REALLY sick to have to go to the ED in this storm.

Temporary SOP will be to have Timberwolf and Hill Hopper respond with the bus on all EMS calls for extra manpower and tools just in case.

A couple of members were detailed to the grocery store for provisions enough to feed 25 people for two days. Hope that's enough. We'll have to watch the weather and decide if/when to have all members report to the fire house.

We checked in with the neighboring department chief, and he said their new mule-type vehicle is in service, and to call them if we need it. That's great.

The weather report isn't as bad as it sounded yesterday, not as much snow and more sleet than before. The wind worries me; I went through the Blizzard of 1977 in Buffalo, New York and I don't ever want to repeat that experience.

We'll see what happens. Main thing is to keep people safe starting with our members, and go from there. I can't help it that people moved to the country, with houses way off the road, and don't make provisions for rough winter weather.

For all fellow firefighters and EMTs out there facing the same storm I have the same wishes: Stay safe and stay warm. I hope we all have quiet times.