Alert! Alert! Alert! - snow is falling and the end is near!

Camden braving the storm on the Sammasish River Trail

One would think - living in the Pacific Northwest would prepare people, local government and private companies to deal with an extremely light dusting of snow, right?  I can leave my house here and be in the Cascades within 90 minutes where chains or spiked tires are mandated, but down here in the valley...it's bedlam. When I previously thought of the PNW, I thought of rugged, trail-blazing outdoorsy types with beards running around in the rain and snow in shorts and animal skins - then there are the men.
I am researching these numbers, but I have it on good authority that the town of Redmond (home of a little software company, MicroSoft (MSFT), is home to less than 3 snow plows!  The city of Seattle REFUSES to use salt to clear streets!  WHA, WHA, WHAAAAT?  This was said in the linked article from the Seattle Times on Dec. 23, 2008 by Alex Wiggins, chief of staff for the Seattle Department of Transportation at that time.  "We decided not to utilize salt because it's not a healthy addition to Puget Sound", said Wiggins.  Just an FYI - the Puget Sound is a body of salt water.

Photo from Seattle Times 23 Dec. 2008

The city opted to use sand as an ecologically sound replacement to aid in traction on ice and snow packed streets.  Great idea, except for the complete lack of foresight.  If the salt is going to wash off the street, won't the sand?  Where will it go?  Down the storm drains, no?  Yes!  Right into the tributaries.  This caused massive sandbars to build up in vital salmon streams keeping spawning salmon from being able to make the trip to their breeding grounds.  Unintended consequences. 
Well - here we are in 2010, in the midst of Global Warming, freezing in November with snow falling and not enough snow removal equipment to keep citizens safe.  Better run to the store and stock up on toilet paper, milk and bread!  I may not be able to shovel out of this massive weather event!
Wish me luck!