Talk:Northeastern United States blizzard of 1978/Archive 1

Archive 1

Inconsistent citing of total deaths

This article cites 2 dramatically different figures for total number of deaths caused by this storm. I don't know the correct figure, but the article should be corrected by someone who has accurate info on the total number of deaths. The two figures cited are (shown in context in order of their appearance in the article):

- Storm formation: "Because of this high pressure area, the blizzard was effectively trapped over New England. Over 3,000 people were killed."

- Aftermath and recovery: "2,500 houses were reported seriously damaged or destroyed, and 17 people were killed." — Preceding unsigned comment added by Arianw (talk • contribs) 22:37, 25 July 2005 (UTC)

As a resident of Rhode Island who survived this blizzard with my wife and three young children I can tell you that this was a storm that we will never forget. It's like everybody knows where they were when President Kennedy was assasinated. I remember milk going up three times what it normally sold for in variety stores who's owners gouged the people who needed it.

I had to walk a mile in deep snow after my vehicle could no longer move in the deep snow. In one way though, it was beautiful. I was amazed at how quiet it was immediatly after the snow stopped falling. It was almost eirie. Soon we started hearing the buzzing of snowmobiles who were going around helping the elderly, taking doctors and nurses to hospitals, bringing bread and milk to families with small children. By the way, this bread and milk thing has become a symbol of RI when a big storm is forecast to move up the coast. To this day, 27 years later, we still feel the need to run out and buy milk and bread, even if we don't need it.

It was amazing how everyone pulled together to help each other. We have not experienced anything like it since although the blizzard of 2005 was really close except it only left three to four feet of snow instead of the four to six feet found on level ground (and this didn't include drifts).

Also, there was nowhere near 3,000 people killed. It was amazing that it was only a handful. Nevertheless, the site of huge earthmoving machines like payloaders being used to clear the streets was quite a site. They had come from Canada, Buffalo NY, and all over the northeast.

I never did thank those who helped us out in those days so today I am taking this opportunity to thank all of you who provided confort, warmth, and generosity to us as victims of this blizzard. --68.9.164.23 03:57, 13 September 2005 (UTC)

Needs better title

This article needs a better title. Something that refers to the geographical location of the blizzard. Theresa Knott (ask the rotten) 21:45, 23 Feb 2005 (UTC)

Worcester, MA, Conditions during and after

The local Civil Defense set up emergency phones in the basement of Lincoln Auditorium. We dispatched National Guard deuce and a halfs to bring doctors, nurses and patients to hospitals. Groceries were delivered by snowmobile. WPI's college cafeteria was staffed by a few heroic souls that fed hundreds of extra people. Snow drifts averaged fifteen feet, but ocassionally got to twenty five feet. Most of this snow was still in piles when the St. Patrick's day storm hit burying Worcester again. some cars parked on side streets were not free of snow and ice until April. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.244.140.120 (talk) 22:41, 26 September 2006 (UTC)

Do you have any sources for this information (internetm, book, newspaper, etc.)? Information I've been able to find so far is quite sparse. I'm actually a WPI student myself, nice to hear from someone from the neighborhood. -Runningonbrains 00:54, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

bread and milk

I think it's quite silly to say that this storm was responsible for "bread and milk runs". People had been doing this for a long time before this storm. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.233.240.242 (talk) 12:43, 14 January 2008 (UTC)

That was my exact thought. People in the Washington D.C. area at least have long done this any time a storm approaches. Bread, milk, and toilet paper, to be precise. :-) I think this should be removed from the article unless somebody has a source that shows the tradition did in fact start after this storm. Fool4jesus (talk) 18:52, 10 September 2008 (UTC)

Agreed. Commented it out for now instead of outright deleting it, but there are no citations and it seems ridiculous. CSZero (talk) 02:59, 14 January 2009 (UTC)

Deleted CSZero (talk) 17:39, 25 January 2009 (UTC)