On Jan. 8, winter storm Nemo commenced, blanketing New Haven in 34 inches over a 24-hour period. With schools cancelled, traveling and parking bans instituted, and most streets still unplowed, it will take several days at least before life gets back to normal.
For residents, this means walking, snowshoeing, or skiing in the streets while their cars remain marshmallow blots on a snow-covered street. That is if those cars are not already being towed, which is rife in many areas of the city. Yale University has also shut down most non-essential operations and both class and work were closed early on Friday in preparation for the storm.
Since there is not much hope of New Haven being unburied quickly - despite the assistance of the National Guard - residents are going to have to deal with the consequences of being snowbound with few resources. Luckily most New Haven residents retained power during and following the storm, which averts concerns about hypothermia and food spoilage.
However, there are still emotional concerns following a blizzard that are often not considered when the immediate physical dangers of ice and snow are so tangible. In the face of any natural disaster, there is a time of getting accustomed to what has taken place and adjusting to the necessary demands of it. Some individuals have been luckier than others following Nemo, but that does not mean that others have not experience damages to their homes or belongings. For those individuals, this time of adjustment is critical to their long-term resilience.
Until life as normal resumes for New Haven residents and those across the Northeast, community and solidarity can help us to pave the way from our snowbound state.
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