Winter Emergency Shelter @ the MCC

[Jenniffer]

User LFE suggested:

A winter emergency shelter might not be a bad idea for folks that can not make it home on snow days.
- BTW... LE did a great job during that lstorm before last getting folks that stayed with their cars on rt 9 to make at the MCC and then drive them home in 4 wheel drive SUV's!

That said.. maybe just an emergancy parking place might be a good idea (esp if hot cups of Black Dog coffee were available).

Are there folks who would be willing/able to get up to the MCC in an emergency to man such an endeavor? Do we have any volunteers interested in planning/organizing this?

[cindylu]

I would love to be a part of this as I believe this is a great idea. The last blizzard we went through I thought (as I was driving PAST the MCC) if it were open for just a couple hours to wait till the snow ceased for a while . . .

Count me in.

[Pat_13]

I might be able to help out.

[Dhyana]

I can help staff an emergency shelter, if someone can get me there. It would be important to have communication devices, water, and blankets.

[LFE]

Temporary emergency parking might be the most helpful, with the least amount of planning and effort.
A true shelter would seem to require heat and water... 2 things that might not always be a easy, cheap thing to provide.

Like Pat_13 and LE, I have a truck that does pretty well in snow and will help out if possible.

[Willis]

It's a noble effort. And it would take a lot of preparation. I wonder if there are grants available. With the dreadful winter of 2009/10 in mind it couldn't hurt for someone to look into that. The MCC is perfectly situated as a staging area for emergency type stuff-centrally located, next to a main thoroughfare and right next to a VFD substation. Would heat and water be so difficult to provide if money was available? (e.g a fair to middlin sized generator housed in a vandal proof enclosure). Exclusive of weather, do you all recall the mess created by the overturned backhoe? http://www.shannondale.org/forum/showthread.php?16097-ACCIDENT-4-Hour-Delay&p=197848#post197848 I'm sure some with full bladders or with hot, cranky, hungry kids would have appreciated a place for a pit stop. With our limited byways, the MCC could be used in all manner of emergency situations.

[cindylu]

I'm sure some with full bladders or with hot, cranky, hungry kids would have appreciated a place for a pit stop. With our limited byways, the MCC could be used in all manner of emergency situations.

Yep, above is exactly what I was thinking. Also, as someone who commuted in the snow/blizzard was in for a rude awakening when I managed to get to Mission Rd and realized the road hadn't been plowed. And I would have liked to have stopped at MCC for 30 min or so to revive my courage to face possibility of getting stuck at Gate 4.

Believe I can help as I'm no longer considered "essential personnel" --- finally! And I can call in!

Who knows, we may NOT have the snow that we did have the past two years.

[LFE]

It could be useful for more then just problems with snow.
Ice seems like a likely problem for us one of these days (although it maybe a hard thing to think of right about now).
Bad floods, fire, crazy accidents etc and so on are possible however we'll have to stick with this song as a theme :-)

http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/lnY18LRYRhQ/default.jpg5:19 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnY18LRYRhQ)

Bob Dylan - Shelter From The Storm (Live) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnY18LRYRhQ)

[SeanEpperson]

I have also been thinking about this idea on the BRA side of the mountain. One thing that you will probably want is some type of generator to keep the heat on.

[Jenniffer]

Could everyone who is interested in planning/organizing make a Wedensday night meeting @ the MCC?

[Jenniffer]

I think what we'll do is set a date, like Wednesday, July 13, 7:30 PM, and have those that are interested in brainstorming come to the MCC at that time for a face-to-face thinking session :) If that date doesn't work for some we can report what we come up with here and ask for more input, or choose another date time for the next meeting. I'm thinking we can have the Adult Dance, Movie Night, and Homesteading folks meet at the same time, just set up four tables in different corners. Or we could do them on four consecutive Wednesdays if there are lots of people who are interested in more than one event. Let me know what you think.

[Willis]

I think it's a superbly efficient use of the facility. I suspect that most attendees will be interested in more than one subject and we could rotate between groups. I particularly liked the use of poster paper on the walls near the various groups to post concerns and suggestions-much like the Blue Ridge Communities plan or the 340 corridor employed to solicit info.

[hillbilly]

The 13th of July works for me at 7:30. I would like to help.

[Jenniffer]

Don't forget the meeting, this Wednesday, 7/13, 7:30 PM, MCC