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As parts of Lambton and Middlesex counties dig themselves out of another winter storm, stories of people going above and beyond to help each other are emerging.
Those stories, however, also come with serious reminders — ones a local tow truck operator who spent hours out in the snow said can mean the difference between life and death.
“You absolutely have to be prepared,” said Gary Vandenheuvel, co-owner of Preferred Towing in Sarnia, Ont.
The storm completely paralyzed movement on the region’s roads Friday night and into Saturday prompting OPP to call it a “significant event”. Many roads were closed in Sunday, including Hwy. 402 between London and Sarnia.
Heavy winds blew snow into massive drifts, in some cases almost completely covering stranded vehicles while their motorists were still inside.
It was a weekend that required all hands on deck for Vandenheuvel’s 12-person crew, and dozens of other tow companies from across the region.
He said the Hwy. 402 closure resulted in traffic being diverted to smaller, less regularly maintained rural roads in the area instead.
“Once that wind kicks in, and everything starts happening out there, the snow drifts start to build, and it just makes it impossible to move, especially on those routes,” Vandenheuvel said.
“Unfortunately, people leave not thinking that the road conditions are going to be that bad. There were blizzard warnings out, but [they didn’t] heed those warnings.”
As the chaos unfolded Vandenheuvel said he received hundreds of calls, and tow truck operators working up to 30 hours to try to help people who were stranded.
Tow trucks couldn’t make it so snowmobilers help
Despite those efforts, he said most of the calls were from people who were simply unreachable.
“Tow trucks are vehicles, just like everybody else’s. We’re not able to magically get through snow that everybody else can’t get through,” Vandenheuvel said.
The impassable snow drifts and low visibility saw first responders, and Good Samaritans make use of snowmobiles and farm equipment to reach people.
Average citizens who wanted to help took it upon themselves to do what they could, according to Graham Snyder, spokesperson for the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs District 5.
“It’s just kind of a natural reaction to a crisis. People knew there were people in danger, they put themselves in other people’s shoes,” Graham Snyder, spokesperson for the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs District 5, said.
“It wasn’t just snowmobiles either, but [people helped with] tractors and snow blowers.”
Police say planning paid off
According to the Ontario Provincial Police’s West Region media relations coordinator, Derek Rogers, the police response to this storm was made easier by seeds sown over a decade ago, after the 2010 storm that left over 1,500 people stranded on highways in Lambton County.
After that storm, police and local governments made an effort to better plan for future storms, he said.
“The OPP initiated what we call regional mobilization, which is essentially all hands on deck. Warming centres were established to assist with folks who were caught in the bad weather, and then began the meticulous process of checking all of these vehicles to make sure that everybody was OK,” Rogers said.
He added that police were aware of roughly 150 abandoned vehicles on Highway 402, and OPP previously said they received roughly 400 calls at the time of the weather event.
Vandenheuvel isn’t the only one urging drivers to be prepared and consider the road conditions before traveling.
“We know that people have to travel, but check the weather before you leave and make that decision about whether or not you want to risk it,” Rogers said.
Tips from the OPP include:
- Checking road conditions before departing.
- Having a full tank of gas, a fully charged cell phone, snacks and warm clothing.
- Staying in your vehicle.
- Ensuring your tailpipe is clear of snow if running the vehicle for warmth, as failing to do so can result in carbon monoxide poisoning.
