Bad Weather Affecting Teams

[synth3tk]

Well, it's no prob for us too, but judging from what I've seen on the news this morning was pretty dangerous. Generally the roads were the main problem. Believe me, all hell breaks lose before BCSD closes their schools.

[raymaniac]

I'd like to have some snow right about now. Not enough to cause any serious damage, or put us behind, but I would like to get some school off. We haven't missed any school because of snow this year, we did have one two-hour delay, but that's it.

Then again, I probably shouldn't be asking for snow until build season is over.

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by raymaniac

Then again, I probably shouldn't be asking for snow until build season is over.

I was just thinking along the same lines. Somehow, when it comes to weather, we just don't seem to get what we ask for. "When it rains, it pours." Unless you move to Camelot...

I am happy that we finally got some more rain here, and the forecast is that we'll get a little more soon. Things have been way too dry for us this winter. But February often makes up for January's lack, so I'm not praying for rain just yet.

[Courtneyb1023]

1023's unvieling was suposed to be last night but had to be cancled due to bad weather.

[RoboMom]

What a mess here. 4-5 inches of snow, now topped by an inch of ice and it is heavy. And now the wind is kicking up on the backside of the front. My 17 year old is entering his 3rd hour of shoveling.

[nsr]

well here in hawaii the weather is always nice and perfect

[chinckley]

Here in Southwest Michigan we are really hurting. We have lost eight days due to school closing so far and they are predicting more for tomorrow.
Last night we got some work in but the snow was blowing sideways and the roads horrible. This is unbelievable. It seems so unfair to the students. They are working so hard. I am not sure we can finish before Tuesday pickup. In all my four years I have never seen weather like this during build season. I know one year they delayed ship by two days. Michigan and New York are getting hit hard. Michigan has more teams than any state (over 100) but California and with the Govenors grants this year we had even more. I wish there was a way to let FIRST know the difficulties we are having just getting to school. We do not have a nice large sponsor (outside of school) where we can go to work on snow days. We rely on our school. Any helpful ideas on how we can finish? We are not allowed to stay overnight either.

Carolyn Hinckley - Teacher

[Tonya Scott 476]

I have been sending letters from various Oklahoma Teams to FIRST regarding details to missing worktime at the beginning of build season.

I would hope that they would express sympathy to teams that invest so much time and $$$$ to participate in this program. I also feel that the "real" world does evolve around weather---just try to order robot parts during snow storms---it will not be delivered on time. That is very real.

Here is the reply I rec'd from FIRST after sending numerous letters from schools that missed a lot of time building robots.

Hi Tonya:

I have discussed your request for a robot ship extension with Bill
Miller, Director of Robotics.

First let me state Bill is sympathetic to your team's (and the other
teams whose letters you forwarded) situation. He understands your
concern, and appreciates the extra lengths your team and the others
must now go through to complete robot build. Bill does feel,
however, that this winter-storm situation is a "real life" example of
a challenge under which one must regroup and carry on, and hopes this
will provide a valuable learning experience for the team(s).

We have seen great accomplishments from our teams time and time again
under the most trying of circumstances - be it mid-stream change of
leadership, mentors dropping out, loss of funds etc...and,
historically, time lost due to winter storms during the build
period. We recognize the severe weather has created a set-back for
your team and the others, but do not feel it has created
insurmountable conditions (conditions such as those created when
Hurricane Katrina struck with homes, jobs and sadly lives lost.)

We know this isn't the answer for which you were hoping, and we are
sorry. We do have confidence your team will rise to the challenge
and successfully complete the six-week build period. We will also
contact each of the teams for whom you have forwarded a letter to
inform them of our decision.

Please feel free to contact us if you have additional concerns. We
wish your team the best of luck this season.

FRC team.

[hiimcristhian]

well today in jersey we had snow, the school is closed, and the roads are too icy to go and work on the robot so we nothing to do but sit and wait.

[synth3tk]

What's the email addy, Tonya? I'd like to send an email also.

[Tonya Scott 476]

I just sent the letters to frcteams@usfirst.org

[FIXIT]

I like a challenge, but we are teetering on a state of emergency in Cleveland. I wouldn’t be surprised if they started air lifting supplies in soon. Streets are closed, the snow is getting deeper and deeper, and we are falling farther behind every day the schools are closed. So far this build season the Cleveland schools have been shut down 5 days—it’s really hurting us to lose almost a week.

Correct me if I am wrong, but a few years ago FIRST did extend the ship deadline due to bad weather. It might be a good idea for them to do it again. Even NASA delays its missions due to weather conditions. Gracious professionalism must be willing to alter scheduled deadlines in order to level the playing field for those teams who have lost 5 after-school build sessions. We cannot require students, teachers, and mentors to take unnessary risk traveling in dangerous conditions to make sure we meet a deadline!

If enough teams band together, maybe FIRST will hear us and extend the ship date by a couple days -- at least for the cities suffering from too much winter wonderland.

[Steve S.]

here in greece we got 13" of snow last night and so far another 4" today with 4-6" more possible this evening and 1-3" tonight, schools were closed today along with everything else and most things tonight have been cancelled or closed.....this is the second day off for most teams in the area, today and last tuesday due to bus problems, if it keeps snowing theres a chance we will have a 2nd snow day tomorrow...hoping not

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by FIXIT

...a few years ago FIRST did extend the ship deadline due to bad weather...

I remember the deadline being extended for some teams a few years ago, but I seem to recall that it was because the bad weather meant FedEx was unable to pick up robot crates on the designated ship day.

[ChrisH]

Originally Posted by Alan Anderson

I remember the deadline being extended for some teams a few years ago, but I seem to recall that it was because the bad weather meant FedEx was unable to pick up robot crates on the designated ship day.

That is correct. The problem was not the weather or the problems it caused for teams during Build, it was that teams could not get the trucking companies to come get their robots. FedEx was not the only company not picking up shipments and when trucking companies start staying home you know it's really bad.

The deadline was extended for all teams because it would have been too difficult to sort out who could ship and who couldn't, and besides just because the shipper wouldn't come doesn't mean you couldn't work on your robot while you were waiting.