In Case Paralyzing Snowstorm

[theawesome1730]

I don't know what Blue Valley's policies are, but Lee's Summit generally has no restriction to us for snow days provided a mentor is able to be there. Bring blankets in case you lose power and heat.

[eli2410]

Originally Posted by theawesome1730

I don't know what Blue Valley's policies are, but Lee's Summit generally has no restriction to us for snow days provided a mentor is able to be there. Bring blankets in case you lose power and heat.

Mr. Ritter is in constant contact with our principal, who is in contact with the school district. The principal and Mr. Ritter are almost always with us trying to get us in, but it is the district and the principal's call. I wish we had that policy that if Mr. Ritter can get there, we can go.

[JamesCH95]

If schools near us cancel due to weather we cancel too. I might work at my work's machine shop or in my garage (and another mentor might too), but that's it.

If a student or mentor was hurt or killed as a result of traveling to a meeting, or being at a meeting, when I knew there was bad weather... well... I'd rather have a less-polished robot at the end of 6 weeks.

If the build season so tight that one absolutely must utilize every single day, one ought to seriously reconsider how the build season is run.

[eli2410]

Once again, this is in case we get stuck there AFTER the snow starts. I am looking at what happened in Atlanta and I am planning for that scenario, wherein we get stuck at school because the snow or ice builds up quicker than the school and infrastructure can respond.

[bduddy]

Originally Posted by eli2410

Once again, this is in case we get stuck there AFTER the snow starts. I am looking at what happened in Atlanta and I am planning for that scenario, wherein we get stuck at school because the snow or ice builds up quicker than the school and infrastructure can respond.

This is a scenario you should be planning to avoid, not planning to deal with. The robot can wait.

[eli2410]

Originally Posted by bduddy

This is a scenario you should be planning to avoid, not planning to deal with. The robot can wait.

I would rather plan to deal with it just in case, but I see it as a not so likely event. I see all of the risks and agree, its a bad idea to get stuck. However, I personally would rather have everyone ready in case the worst happens, so that we minimize problems from it.

[JamesCH95]

Originally Posted by eli2410

Once again, this is in case we get stuck there AFTER the snow starts. I am looking at what happened in Atlanta and I am planning for that scenario, wherein we get stuck at school because the snow or ice builds up quicker than the school and infrastructure can respond.

What happens if someone is hurt and an ambulance can't reach you or is already busy with traffic accidents? A relatively minor injury can become a serious issue without timely medical attention.

[MechEng83]

I'm not sure why so many people are jumping on the OP for asking this question. I think he's trying to prepare for uncertainties. Think of this as an "Emergency Preparedness Kit" Do you have a first aid kit in your shop? (FYI, the answer should be "yes") Do you plan on having to use it? No -- you prepare in case you need to.

Sometimes, bad weather can come without sufficient notice (a la Geogia this past week). It's best to be prepared for these occasions and never have to use them rather than the reverse.

If we all just sat and were afraid that bad weather might come, or the road might be closed, or some other uncontrollable situation, we'd never get anything done.

[eli2410]

Originally Posted by MechEng83

I'm not sure why so many people are jumping on the OP for asking this question. I think he's trying to prepare for uncertainties. Think of this as an "Emergency Preparedness Kit" Do you have a first aid kit in your shop? (FYI, the answer should be "yes") Do you plan on having to use it? No -- you prepare in case you need to.

Sometimes, bad weather can come without sufficient notice (a la Geogia this past week). It's best to be prepared for these occasions and never have to use them rather than the reverse.

If we all just sat and were afraid that bad weather might come, or the road might be closed, or some other uncontrollable situation, we'd never get anything done.

Exactly what I was trying to say, but I couldn't seem to phrase it right. Thanks.

[Wayne TenBrink]

If anyone has the ability to work at home, make sure they take the necessary raw materials, etc.

[lpickett]

FRC1730 is lucky they have mentors and coaches that live nearby. We can be there when the need arises to have adult support and food/drink at the ready. Sleeping bags, cots, blankets are always helpful to have handy in the car. I usually travel with a sleeping bag in the trunk in bad weather. We also keep a first aid kit at the build site. We have a phone in the building for emergencies. Our reception is only good by the doors and windows. Let it snow!!!!

[JamesCH95]

Originally Posted by MechEng83

I'm not sure why so many people are jumping on the OP for asking this question. I think he's trying to prepare for uncertainties. Think of this as an "Emergency Preparedness Kit" Do you have a first aid kit in your shop? (FYI, the answer should be "yes") Do you plan on having to use it? No -- you prepare in case you need to.

Sometimes, bad weather can come without sufficient notice (a la Geogia this past week). It's best to be prepared for these occasions and never have to use them rather than the reverse.

If we all just sat and were afraid that bad weather might come, or the road might be closed, or some other uncontrollable situation, we'd never get anything done.

You don't get it, it's not about taking no risks, it's about avoiding reasonable risks when it is easy and prudent to do so. It's about ensuring the risks are worth the rewards. Clearly they have enough warning to avoid a serious storm, then they clearly have enough time to cancel the meeting(s).

And yes, we all hope to never have to use our shop's first-aid kit. But being stranded in a school greatly raises the consequences of any accident, shifting the risk/reward analysis results.

Here is a hypothetical situation: an open fracture. Someone nicks their finger on a saw, to the bone. Not an uncommon shop accident. This type of injury requires IMMEDIATE antibiotic treatment. Typically a drive to the ER, a few stitches, and IV/pill antibiotics and you're good to go. Do you keep IV antibiotics and sutures in your first aid kit? On the other hand if you're stranded in a school for two days the bone could easily get infected because all you've got are some band-aids and alcohol swabs. They could be looking at surgery, long-term or life-time antibiotics, or having their finger/limb amputated to stop the infection from spreading.

Now, I realize that sounds a bit dramatic, and is unlikely to happen, but it illustrates the issue very nicely: being stranded raises the stakes for any mistake or accident significantly. This is, of course, on top of any transportation/travel hazards.

[Jon Stratis]

Personally, if the weather report made it look like being stranded at the school was a possibility, I'm pretty sure we would cancel the meeting that night. Even if it turns out the snow doesn't hit until later and we would have been fine, I think it's the right thing to do - safety FIRST! FWIW, we've already had 5 cold-weather cancellations this season...

Take a look at what needs to be done, and come up with stuff students can do outside of the shop. Work on PR, sponsor letters, award submissions... the robot can wait a day or two.

[JesseK]

While I'm generally in the 'it is a bad idea to encourage the team to risk their necks in the snow' camp, meeting at someone's house is no different than meeting at a school with respect to risk factors.

Verify with the school administration that the heat will be kept on during school closures. Our school district has a strict policy regarding energy conservation, which means if the school is closed then the heat is off without special permission.

[Woolly]

A DC to AC power inverter would be a heck of an idea in case of power failure.