Christmas is over, enough with the snow.

I know, no blogging for weeks. Between the Snow, the Snow and the Snow I have not had much else to deal with. Its been very busy at the Sheriff's Office and the weather has presented many challenges from citizens who don’t have propane, running low on medications, or live in an area powered by solar power and are not getting enough sun. If I never see another snow flake that will be fine with me. Let it rain for moisture.

Tonight we found our first weather related death in Santa Fe County from the winter storms. A 20 year old male was found dead of apparent hypothermia. We are not sure if drugs or alcohol were involved but apparently he was walking home when he died in a field not far from his home. I am very sorry for his family but I am glad we have not had more deaths and frankly I am surprised.

Even though there is a lot of criticism being thrown around, this storm was one that is not the norm and many dedicated people have worked around the clock cleaning roads, getting supplies to those in need and evacuating those who must be evacuated. The hundreds of phone calls we received on a daily basis that were resolved by dedicated public servants (especially Fire and Public Works) who do not make the news. For every one of you who were inconvenienced there was one person who literally was in need of lifesaving medication, or had run out of food or propane. Those people, EVERY ONE OF THEM, who called and needed help, got that help. Ok, that’s my rant and rave for the day.

I am really glad pretty much everyone lived through the storm of 2006/2007 and maybe one day I will tell my grandchildren about the time the snow was so deep we had to use a snow cat and rescue people from their homes. I might even embellish the story and say how I walked to work in the snow with bad shoes for miles and they should be happy they have school buses. :-)