Snowstorm Survival

With a record-breaking snowfall hitting the DC area, many residents find themselves stuck in dire situations not knowing what to do. Below I offer solutions to some of the major problems caused by this life-threatening storm.

The garbage service has been suspended throughout the metro region. Your kitchen trashcan is piling up, the garbage can outside is full and the lid has so much snow on it you couldn’t imagine lifting it or clearing it off. You don’t want to put plain trash bags outside because the animals will get into them and spread trash all over the lawn. And then you’ll have to clean it up and it’ll be disgusting and stinky and frozen.

Hey, calm down. Americans didn’t always have the advanced garbage collection system we have today. Take a lesson from history and fling your garbage from the windows. It’s fun and easy! Plus, you can get the kids involved and teach them responsibility. Make a game of it, seeing who can throw garbage furthest off your property, or aiming for a specific target like the mailbox, other garbage items, or your neighbors’ cleared walkway.

Many families are unable to go the grocery store and are running low on food supplies. Some think the only answer is spending hours digging out the car, only to brave unsafe driving conditions and patience-testing grocery store line conditions. But there are other options. Send a friend/neighbor who’s going to the store for themselves with your list and a little bit less money than they’ll need to cover you. (Before they leave be sure to tell them you expect plenty of change.) Friends and neighbors refusing to do you any more favors? Get creative and make a meal of those never-used back-of-the-cabinet foods. Condensed milk cans, lemonade mix, cranberry sauce, rejected milk duds from Halloweens past, and I’m sure you’ll find some hidden treasures unique to your home to help you make an inventive and edible dinner.

A grim situation affecting millions is that of boredom. Some people have been stuck in one location with only their families for over two days. My advice is trying to find entertainment within the walls of your home and your surrounding yard. TV, Internet, sleep, video games, Taboo, and talking pleasantly to those who share your household can all be great. Sign up for Netflix and watch a movie instantly. Go outside and build a snow fort/man/dragon/blockade for your neighbors’ car. Pick fights with those who share your household. Really explore your options and you’re sure to be amused for days.

Heavy precipitation and extremely high winds have wiped out power lines from Northern Virginia to Baltimore. Those without electricity risk freezing, stubbing their toes, having to eat unmicrowaved meals, and the torture of life without TV and Internet. If this happens to you, the first thing you should do is call the power company, weather service, fire department, police, newspapers, and local hospitals to tell them of your woes. While it may seem enticing, you don’t want to go to a hotel. That would cost money, and you’d have to dig out your car. I’d suggest going to bed and staying there until this whole thing blows over. If it lasts for days and you find yourself getting bedsores, call a friend who has power and a dug out car. See if they’ll pick you up and let you stay at their house for a while. As an added bonus, you definitely wont have to worry about going to the grocery store because you can eat all your friends’ food. Go for the most expensive stuff first.

If you’re lucky enough not to have lost power yet, take some precautionary measures. Fill your dryer with blankets and socks and keep it constantly running. That way, no matter when you lose power, you’ll be able to be all warm and cozy like you should during a snowstorm. Also, consider keeping a pot of hot chocolate continuously boiling.

While you should be able to get through the 2010 blizzard basically alive and happy, I must caution you not to jump back into business as usual as soon as the snow melts. Transitioning to work/school after more than a week of freedom can be incredibly traumatic. Not to mention the hazardous conditions of No More Snow. Forgetting the ice is gone and attempting to run and slide on pavement is responsible for numerous skin injuries every spring above the Mason Dixon line. Don’t let it happen to you. Be careful and adapt back to regular life at your own pace.