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Lessons learned after massive snowfall?

Well, that was something, wasn’t it? Most would agree that our recent snowfall, picturesque as it made the valley, was something, all right. Fewer would agree on just what it was.

Well, that was something, wasn’t it?

Most would agree that our recent snowfall, picturesque as it made the valley, was something, all right. Fewer would agree on just what it was.

Let’s call it a near disaster, a teaching moment, hopefully with lessons learned, and an illustration of how difficult life can get when Mother Nature decides to be disagreeable.

As the snow fell, beginning Monday (Oct. 1), then fell and fell and fell, our valley transformed from a fairly miserable September to a decidedly unpleasant October.

Everywhere, wet snow piled up, then froze, turning our streets and roads into nightmarish scenes.
Seniors and those with disability issues immediately had trouble getting around on sidewalks as, typically, many homeowners and businesses failed to clear them in a timely manner. No surprise there.

Then there were our roads; now that was something of a surprise.

Roads quickly became impassable and vehicles of all kinds left the highways; whether due to a refusal by drivers to reduce speed to road conditions (almost always a key ingredient in crashes), or because many valley drivers have yet to have winter tires installed.

Either way, vehicles left roads, tractor-trailers jackknifed, buses skidded off roads, tow trucks became stuck, drivers refused to make way for tow trucks and emergency services personnel were pressed into service all over the valley. We can only imagine the overtime racked up over the past couple of days.

Fortunately, along with bad drivers and irresponsible drivers, Town staff and firefighters in both Canmore and Banff answered the bell in setting up an emergency coordination centre, then a warming centre for motorists who simply could not leave the valley, or find accommodation after they became stranded on the highways.

If nothing else, the massive snowfall early in the week amply illustrated why emergency services personnel train to swing into action under almost any circumstances. Like with the flood of 2013, emergency services personnel had an immediate impact in lessening the chaos of a natural phenomenon.

As well, and pretty clearly, the Trans-Canada Highway and other roadways should have been closed much sooner due to the speed with which the heavy snow caused chaos.

We feel this week’s ‘snowmageddon’ illustrates the need for LED-type signage to be installed eastbound in our valley on or over the highways. Who knows how many drivers would have sensibly diverted, or stopped for the day, had they but known what lay ahead of them on Highway 1 and 1A?

Signage such as that on the westbound TCH at the Banff park east gates could have played a large role in reducing the likelihood of what could have been a major catastrophe. Simple wording as to the nature of road conditions ahead, or that the highway is closed seems to be a no-brainer by way of traffic safety – not to mention the safety of police, firefighters, tow truck and plow truck drivers who spent long hours on the road.

On the bright side, Mother Nature provided the valley with an early practice snowfall – which should allow citizens plenty of time to now dig out their snow shovels, ice melt compound, even tone up muscles unused to the snow shovelling motion.

Further, the snow is ample warning for motorists to find their snow brushes and window scrapers so they don’t have to drive around with a vehicle nearly covered in snow (which we’ve already seen many drivers doing).

This winter may be a long one, let’s be prepared and do our bit in making it easy to get around on foot.


Rocky Mountain Outlook

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