SWEETHEART OF A BLIZZARD

The fax came into The Waynedale News office Wednesday afternoon titled, “MAYOR DECLARES SNOW EMERGENCY FOR THE CITY OF FORT WAYNE. The public is encouraged to stay off all city streets to allow City Street Department crews to continue to plow snow during this Level II snow event.

Sixty Street Department trucks are working around the clock to keep streets passable for emergency vehicles. During a snow emergency, …

In addition, garbage and recycling collection by National Serv-All has been suspended until further notice.”

 

On Wednesday, February 14, Valentines Day, the press release read, “Effective at noon:

The City of Fort Wayne will no longer be under a Snow Emergency. City Street Department crews have worked to clear main arterial streets. However, several city streets remain snow covered. Crews have started plowing residential streets. Crews will work around the clock in anticipation of having residential streets completed by Thursday morning.

Allen County will move to a Level 1 Snow and Ice Emergency. Under a Level 1 Emergency, everyone’s cooperation is requested by remaining off roadways unless necessary. The Level 1 Emergency is for unincorporated Allen County only.

Several rural roads in Allen County remain impassable. Motorists should use caution if they must travel.

The Fort Wayne-Allen County Office of Homeland Security’s Emergency Operations Center remains open. Residents may call 427-5217 if they have questions or need non-emergency assistance.”

The Blizzard of ’07 brought immediate comparisons to the blizzard most remembered in this area, the Blizzard of 1978. Most of the people we talked to said this blizzard fizzled out compared to the ’78 blizzard, but then maybe we are getting old enough to start exaggerating our pasts…like we always accused our parents of doing…now that’s a scary thought.

Actually, during the blizzard of ’78, seventeen inches of snow fell from January 25th into the 26th. On the 26th temperatures fell to 4° while winds howled up to 55mph bringing wind chills to -60°. This blizzard of ’07 brought 7.4 inches of snow with 25 mph winds.