Snow in Toronto... "where is the army?"

[CdnArtyWife]

Snow in Toronto, a CBC Special Report

;D

"when I saw the snow I started screaming....where is the army, where are the police...?"

 

[medicineman]

I'll never forget Rick Mercer telling the Halifax comedy festival about how the mayor of Toronto "...screamed like a little girl for the Army..." when they had considerably less snow than that a few years ago.  It would have been funny if it wasn't so embarrasing - I mean I know they live in Toronto, but last I looked, it's still part of Canada, and as such, should expect some white stuff.  Heck, even Victoria gets snowed in periodically, but doesn't go yelling and screaming for help (they just go yelling and screaming  ;D).

MM

 

[GAP]

Truth is stranger than fiction......sometimes

 

[Thorvald]

Please tell me there isn't an NSN number for a plow attachment to the G-Wagon  :

 

[George Wallace]

Please tell me there isn't an NSN number for a plow attachment to the G-Wagon  :

As it is a German vehicle, there probably is.

The German Unimog has so many different attachments, it can be used for practically anything.  It has a Sweeper Attachment,  a HIAB, a grass cutting and 'Fog Marker removal' tool for cutting grass along side the road, plows (front and rear), more tools than can be mentioned.  The PTO is very advantageous............so I would imagine that you would just as easily find that the G Wagen has just as many optional attachments.

 

[Sheerin]

Nearly a decade later and we still haven't heard the last of it...

way to go Mel, way to go.

 

[Loachman]

There was rather a lot of snow, and the major concerns that I remember (as the guy co-ordinating the aviation effort) were access by emergency vehicles (none in some areas) and actually getting rid of the snow. Some streets right downtown were too narrow and/or had buildings pretty well right up to them so there was nowhere to push it.

I seldom (never) have any sympathy for Toronto's problems, which are usually self-made, but this one was at least a tiny bit legit.

 

[Kat Stevens]

There was rather a lot of snow, and the major concerns that I remember (as the guy co-ordinating the aviation effort) were access by emergency vehicles (none in some areas) and actually getting rid of the snow. Some streets right downtown were too narrow and/or had buildings pretty well right up to them so there was nowhere to push it.

I seldom (never) have any sympathy for Toronto's problems, which are usually self-made, but this one was at least a tiny bit legit.

Then the problem is largely of their own making.  It was daft to build New Orleans below sea level in a hurricane zone.  Mother Nature took a poke at them and won.  Toronto is in a northern region, and snow happens. Build accordingly.  And you can't tell me that TO got more snow that year than Winnipeg, or Saskatoon, or Edmonton gets nearly every year.  Maybe realize that the Great Protective Smog Dome (pat. pend.)  will occasionally allow a little white mud to get through.  Buy some removal equipment, maybe?

 

[Sheerin]

 
Then the problem is largely of their own making.  It was daft to build New Orleans below sea level in a hurricane zone.  Mother Nature took a poke at them and won.  Toronto is in a northern region, and snow happens. Build accordingly.  And you can't tell me that TO got more snow that year than Winnipeg, or Saskatoon, or Edmonton gets nearly every year.  Maybe realize that the Great Protective Smog Dome (pat. pend.)  will occasionally allow a little white mud to get through.  Buy some removal equipment, maybe?

That's an over simplification. 

To put it in perspective, toronto on average gets a little over a metre of snow a year.  During the infamous week we got about our yearly average (i think it was something 130 cm we got in 2 or 3 days).  I honestly would like to see how any other part of the country would do if they got their yearly average in short period of time.  You better believe they'd be in trouble as well.  In fact that was the most snow ever seen in Toronto (at least according to the records going back to 1846)

Toronto prepares for what we normally get, just like every other jurisdiction.  We did the responsible thing and called for help. 

Its a shame so many people don't look at full story. 

btw found this on the CBC archives

http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-69-2013-12772-10/on_this_day/life_society/twt

 

[Kat Stevens]

Of course it's an over simplification.  My point was that weather happens all over this country, and to equate the crappy weather Toronto got that week to, oh say, the Red River Floods or the Ice Storms, is a bit of a stretch, in my book.  I live in North Central Alberta, we get lots of snow, so I have a shovel and a truck with a plow on it.  Why, you ask?  BECAUSE I EXPECT IT TO SNOW HERE AT SOME POINT.  It's part of living here, nobody comes to dig me out, I do it myself.

 

[the 48th regulator]

Of course it's an over simplification.  My point was that weather happens all over this country, and to equate the crappy weather Toronto got that week to, oh say, the Red River Floods or the Ice Storms, is a bit of a stretch, in my book.  I live in North Central Alberta, we get lots of snow, so I have a shovel and a truck with a plow on it.  Why, you ask?  BECAUSE I EXPECT IT TO SNOW HERE AT SOME POINT.  It's part of living here, nobody comes to dig me out, I do it myself.

Ah Kat,

I understand why you feel that way.  See you do not live in Toronto, we are the center of the Universe.  You guys in places like Winnipeg get your feet wet, and we have to send everyone to come bail you out.

I loved the snow storm,  except for when they tried to keep us dry  :blotto:

God bless the Highland tradition and the extra pockets of parkas!

dileas

tess

 

[Kat Stevens]

That's why all the trees in the West have a lean toward the East...... >

 

[GAP]

Take a look at the East coast over the last....say 5 years.... they have snow up to their kiskas...and then some.

 

[Sheerin]

Take a look at the East coast over the last....say 5 years.... they have snow up to their kiskas...and then some.

Yes but its within the norms.  As I said before Toronto got its normal yearly amount in less than a week.  Thats an extreme situation, to say the least.

 

[CdnArtyWife]

To think I was just posting a funny and now it has become a political debate...as per usual on Army.ca

My take on it (and you can take it or leave it...) is if any city (COTU or otherwise) or territory or provice should have a plan in place for all happenstances, the probable and the improbable. Because as long as anything (Snow in COTU for instance) is possible, you have to be ready for the worst case scenario whether it be probable or not.

PLAN AHEAD

If the plan is in place to call the military for help with large snowfall (and let it be known), then people wouldn't poke fun at what we percieved to be panic over something trivial. If there is no plan in place...then you just open yourselves up for more ridicule, and if you can't take the teasing in the playground, take your ball and go home.

Just my $0.02...frankly I thought the skit was funny...people in COTU might not...oh well.

Regards,

CAW

 

[niner domestic]

Norms, storms and that's what White Juan was.. all 95 cm in one night...and I'm married to the freaking army and I never got any little green guys helping me shovel out...

 

[Roy Harding]

Yes but its within the norms.  As I said before Toronto got its normal yearly amount in less than a week.  Thats an extreme situation, to say the least.

Toronto is an extreme situation, to say the least.

 

[Sheerin]

I've never quite understood why eveyone hates Toronto. 

I suppose its similiar to why so many people hate New York City and LA.

Out of curiosity, Niner, where do you live?  And what is the average annunal snowfall for your area? 

The reason why we called in the army was because it was a public safety issue, paramedics, police and fire were unable to get into many areas of the city because the streets were completely blocked.  Sure that may be acceptable and understandable in a community where less than 50 people live on a given street, but in Toronto that street could house anyhere between 500 and 10,000 people, and any number of whom could be in need of medical attention, or police assitance for fire assitance.

Toronto does have plans in place, and we spend anywhere between 40 and 60 million dollars a year on snow removal, so it's not like we don't know what to do with it. 

 

[the 48th regulator]

I will have to agree,

It was a heck of alot of work.  We were digging out homes for some people, that could not even open doors or windows.  These were mostly seniors, who most definately would have suffered.

It is all fun and games to mock Toronto, but it has always been home for me.
But for a city that is not equipped to handle it, it was needed.  And to spend money in case it happens again, is just plain silly.  What are towns in quebec doing, stocking up in salt and antifreeze?  Winnipeg stocking up on rubber wellies?


No worries Sheerin, let them mock us, they know where the pinnacle is.

dileas

tess

 

[Yrys]

No worries Sheerin, let them mock us, they know where the pinnacle is.

Nope, I don't know  ;D !