New York: It was around midnight Thursday, and the snow in upstate Owego, New York, was falling at what officials estimated was a rate of 4 inches an hour. By the time it stopped, there would be 40 inches on the ground.
With the storm swirling around him, Kevin Kresen was in his car about 15 miles from home when, he said, a belt in his engine came loose, knocking out the power steering and forcing him off the road into a ditch.
After trying unsuccessfully to fix the problem, he got back into the car and called 911. It was the first several of such calls he would make over the next 10 hours as the fierce snowfall trapped him in the unheated car and a passing plow sealed him in even further, officials said.
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Kevin Kresen with Zone Sgt. Jason Cawley of the New York State Police.Credit.New York State Police
By Ed Shanahan
Dec. 18, 2020
It was around midnight Thursday, and the snow in upstate Owego, N.Y., was falling at what officials estimated was a rate of four inches an hour. By the time it stopped, there would be 40 inches on the ground.
With the storm swirling around him, Kevin Kresen was in his car about 15 miles from home when, he said, a belt in his engine came loose, knocking out the power steering and forcing him off the road into a ditch.
Imagine being trapped in a snow drift in your very own vehicle and you can t get out? This sounds like a bad nightmare, but it almost proved fatal for one 58 year-old New York state man. If not for the persistence of first responders this man would probably not be here now.
While the Hudson Valley endured anywhere from a foot to nearly two feet of snow late Wednesday and early Thursday, parts of the Southern Tier got absolutely walloped with record snowfall totals that exceeded 40 inches in some areas. This was one of the state s most powerful Nor easters in years. It goes without saying that driving in weather like that is very, very dangerous.
The American Heart Association is reminding Twin Tiers residents to take precautions as they attempt to clear snow from driveways and sidewalks.
Heart attacks spike following major snow events. Be sure to take frequent breaks, lift with your knees and take smaller shovel-fulls to avoid over exertion. Bob Joseph/WNBF News [file][/caption]People with existing heart and lung issues should be extra careful and consider asking for help in clearing walks and driveways.
Piles of snow left at the bottom of driveways by passing municipal snow plows can be especially problematic as they are more difficult to move. Again, health officials say the work should be broken down in intervals with frequent breaks.