State of Emer

Driving down Paseo del Pueblo Sur on my way to run some errands, the blinking roadside marquee read:  "State of Emer" and then provided some phone numbers for the public to use during the Gas-tastrophe. 

Everyone in Town knows what the sign means -- it didn't need much else to explain.

The National Weather Service now acknowledges that the storm that swept across this region and much of the country last week was one of the record books.  The Special Weather Statement issued for the storm predicted for later this week in New Mexico said the following:

WHILE THIS SYSTEM CURRENTLY IS EXPECTED TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS SEVERE THAN THE EPIC STORM OF LAST WEEK...IT WILL STILL HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON TRAVEL AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES DUE TO THE COMBINATION OF SNOW...WIND...BLOWING SNOW AND MUCH COLDER AIR.

Just to update everyone:  as we all expected, the electrical power grid failed in Taos.  Our little B&B was without power for over 10 hours in one stretch and then two stretches of about 3 hours.  With 6 fireplaces in the house, we immediately went into "Fireplace" mode and kept the Inn warm during the blackouts.  Kit Carson Electric Co-operative had various excuses for the power failures, but it all boils down to the fact that no community in New Mexico -- not just Taos -- has a power grid capable of handling the heating demands created by a loss of gas heat.  There simply was no way that Taos' system was going to survive unscathed by this huge winter storm.
In the meantime, the Town Officials responsible for keeping order and disseminating information to the public did a smashing job.  When the citizenry began to panic on Thursday, these folks hit the radio airwaves and used the extensive e-mail program they have developed in order to give us factual information that was valid and useful in the immediacy of the developing disaster.

Amazing folks! 

Cathy Connelly, Town of Taos Public Information Director.  Wow, Cathy.  All I can say is I hope you get some paid leave when this blows over.  Have you slept?  I doubt it.

Steve Fuhlendorf, President and CEO of the Taos County Chamber of Commerce.  What can I say to you, Steve other than "Thanks" and "Thanks, again."

It's been remarkable.  On two occasions I communicated with both Cathy and Steve and they both responded immediately to me with facts.  Just the facts.

Thanks to our public officials from Governor Suzanna Martinez all the way down to those working in the trenches here in Taos. 

All will return to normal tomorrow and we're thankful.  Our guests will never know anything happened other than the stories I'll tell them at the breakfast table each morning, but La Posada de Taos will be a warm, comfortable oasis as our Trip Advisor ranking indicates.