What If A Snow Day Is Not An Option?

By: Minjung Park, SUS Grant Manager

I’m sure many of us took “snow days,” worked from home, or left work early to avoid the messes of the recent blizzards this winter. I saw a news piece that talked about how much easier it is to work from home now and how employees at many companies are doing that more and more.
For many of the 1,600 SUS staff, that was not a possibility or even a thought – even though they may have their own children who they need to take care of now that they have a snow day. Some staff not only had to work, but had to extend their shifts in order to cover for those who were truly snowed in.
From the beginning of the winter season, SUS managers have been meeting to discuss Emergency Procedures for inclement weather. But before every actual blizzard, staff meet again to confirm plans – and walking out of their meeting, people are on their phones to ensure there is coverage at all of our programs.
What would happen to all of the young men and women with developmental disabilities at one of our 26 residences, who need supervision and help to plan out their day now that they don’t have school? Or to make sure that the homeless and possibly mentally ill individual who is ready to get off the streets has a clean, safe place to stay at one of our 17 mental health residences?
These snow storms, especially such emergencies as the blizzard in December, disrupt our everyday lives – but SUS doesn’t, and can’t shut down. Snow, transit strikes, electrical outages, etc. will not stop SUS from providing much needed care to thousands of New Yorkers, or from keeping our staff, SUS’ everyday heroes, from doing their job.