FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- Expect the best, but prepare for the worst. It's a common saying, and one that certainly can be applied to ensuring that the Soldiers, Family Members and Civilians of Fort Drum are ready for any situation they might encounter -- even if that situation is as unpredictable as the weather of a northern New York winter.
Capt. Michael McCormick, watch supervisor with Fort Drum Directorate of Emergency Services Law Enforcement Division, said part of installation readiness is ensuring that responders have access to appropriate safety equipment for the climate in which they operate.
"In Louisiana they need to have special equipment and procedures for hurricanes. Here at Fort Drum, we need to be prepared for snow emergencies," he said.
Some of the equipment that the Law Enforcement Division uses during inclement winter weather is kept on hand at the station. Other times, they call upon personnel from the Training Division and the Game Warden Division to lend their expertise -- and their winter gear -- to the efforts.
During a particularly intense period of inclement weather, from Jan. 7-8, this additional manpower was especially vital to ensuring the safety of all who live and work on post.
Most Fort Drum personnel were released at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 7 and told not to report on Jan. 8, due to a heavy band of lake effect snow that was hitting the Fort Drum area.
Not all Fort Drum personnel were at home during this inclement weather period, however. Mission-essential personnel still reported to work, ensuring that operations across the installation ran smoothly.
Patrol Sgt. Jennifer Derouin, one of many responders who worked long, cold hours during the storm, recalled the events that unfolded during this two-day period.
"My day started around 4:45 in the morning," Derouin said. "It started out nice and sunny, and it rapidly deteriorated as the day went on."
Officers on patrol began reporting that visibility was limited and that the snow plows were unable to keep up with the amount of snow drifting and blowing into the roadways.
"When it got so bad that our cameras in our dispatch center were completely covered with snow, we knew the visibility outside was very poor throughout the installation," Derouin said.
Spc. Stephen Rohe, a traffic accident investigator with DES, said patrolling in snowy weather means operating with an even greater degree of caution than usual.
"When I go on an emergency call in the snow, I have to slow the vehicle down a lot," Rohe said. "If I'm in an accident, not only am I not responding to emergencies, but now another responder has to help me."
"Everything is at a different pace," Derouin added. "You have different driving conditions to take into consideration. You need to operate your vehicle at a slower speed and be looking out for other vehicles."
The station soon began receiving phone calls reporting vehicles in ditches or stuck in the roadways across Fort Drum. Tow vehicles from off the installation were unable to respond.
Soon, it was evident that the patrol cars would be unable to reach some of the disabled vehicles. The Game Warden Division came to the rescue, bringing with them some highly specialized all-weather equipment.
Game wardens have access to such equipment as four-wheeled all terrain vehicles, an Argo multi-use land and aquatic vehicle, snowmobiles and a side-by-side four-by-four with special track attachments.
Lt. David Shannon, plans and training officer and supervisor of the Game Wardens Division, said that each piece of equipment serves a vital role in ensuring the safety of Fort Drum Soldiers and Civilians operating in even the most remote portions of the installation.
"All of this equipment allows us to respond just about anywhere at any time in a search-and-rescue type situation or during extreme inclement weather when patrol cars and trucks can't make it to wherever they were intended to be sent," Shannon said.
The decision was made to begin using the Argo multi-use vehicle for patrols.
"Sgt. 1st Class (David) Drew from the game warden section brought the Argo over, and he drove that with myself and Officer (Justin) Stringer throughout post," Derouin recalled. "We stopped and were able to help quite a few stranded motorists who were on the side of the road or stuck in the roadway itself."
Derouin called for additional assistance for some of the stranded motorists. In some cases, they were able to get vehicles moving, but this was not always possible, she said.
"There were numerous vehicles that had to be left in place until the roads were cleared. We were able to get the motorists out of these vehicles and bring them to a safer location," Derouin said.
Eventually, visibility got so bad that using the Argo was no longer a viable option. The responders returned to the station and prepared to patrol on snowmobiles.
Rohe grabbed his helmet and got suited up to patrol almost immediately upon arriving at work. He and fellow DES employee Sgt. Shawn Cummings encountered multiple cars on the roadway and stopped to ensure there were no stranded motorists present in the vehicles.
"We were finding cars that had snow piled up higher than their windows," Rohe recalled. "Over near Eighth Street, we almost ran over a car with the snowmobiles because it was buried so deep that we couldn't see it."
"Most of the vehicles were empty. Either people had walked to seek help, or other drivers had picked them up and driven them to safety," Rohe added.
Both Rohe and Derouin recalled encountering many community members who had stopped to lend a hand or offer a ride to drivers of disabled vehicles.
"It was nice to see that people were trying to help provide assistance to one another," Derouin said. "They were out there helping get cars moving again or offering a ride or a warm car to wait in. It was great."
After coming back to the station to warm up, Rohe was sent to look for a motorist who had been reported missing after leaving a simulation center on South Post.
"We received a call that there was a missing person on post," Rohe said. "We went the area this person was last, and we found him in his car."
While they were unable to get the vehicle out of the snow, Rohe transported the driver to a nearby guard station, where arrangements were made to get him safely home.
Derouin and Rohe both continued to help stranded drivers during their shifts the following day. Those they helped responded with words of thanks and often mentioned a measure of surprise.
"I don't think people thought that anyone was going to be able to respond in weather like that," Rohe said.
"People don't know we have this kind of equipment, because they don't see it often," Derouin explained. "The game warden section uses their snowmobiles a lot in the winter, but they do it to run their perimeter security checks. On cantonment, we only use them in extreme emergency situations."
This winter has been particularly snowy, prompting DES to keep some emergency equipment close by, just in case.
"We now keep at least two snowmobiles here in our garage (at the main DES station) just in case we need them," Derouin said.
As the weather finally lifted, the officers recalled feeling relieved and thankful that they had been able to help so many community members. All told, the eight Soldiers and Civilians from DES and the Game Warden Division who had conducted snowmobile patrol operations were responsible for bringing some 15 stranded drivers to safety.
"If I were in their shoes, I would hope that someone would be out looking for me," Derouin said. "I would want to be able to get home to my family and be warm and safe."
"I was just happy to know that we could make a difference in someone's day," Rohe said. "The weather didn't keep us from helping when people needed us."
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