While I do think that the newer generations seem to be more sensitive to the shortcomings of the storms, I'd say the older generations have become increasingly stubborn and ignorant about handling the storms themselves, which have been the biggest cause of the issues we've seen recently.
A lot of the death that transpired in the most recent storms was because a lot of people thought they were bigger/stronger than the storms, and their recent experiences through their lives gave them this sense of "I survived back then, I think I'm smart enough to survive this" and so at times where they should prepare for a storm they are being warned about, they are just downplaying the warning, and then when they are told not to be on the roads, then they downplay that, and then you are left with a mass amount of people making stupid decisions out of selfishness and those that provide services that could make things easier for all in less than 24 hours, are left with obstacles and a hell of a time to help people extending the time it takes to help.
When you have a community of people working together, sacrificing their own selfishness and understanding priorities of what's important, being prepared regardless of your opinion on the strength of said storm, you will see things run smoother. My neighbors and I (we have about 4 households) work together, where we help clear sidewalks and fire hydrants, and if needed clear walkways and driveways for those unable to get outside, we help clear cars off, and if people need to park in a driveway because the plows are running, then we allow that. You wouldn't believe how quickly and often our street gets cleared and how little of a mess things are because there are no obstacles for people and those doing public services.
Sorry for the rant, it's just a sore subject for me because of how much of a pain hearing about how the government over plans or controls too much at a time of emergency, meanwhile these people were the core reason why things went to hell around here.
I agree with some points and disagree with others. I have a lot of thoughts on this topic (as many of us do) and haven't had the chance to write about it, so apologies for the extreme length.
You're right that it's not just younger generations that are unprepared and uninformed re: winter storms. But I will say that every generation appears less capable and knowledgeable than the previous generations that held their spot (ie the 50 year olds in 1970 were better at this than the 50 year olds of today, etc).
I'm definitely an outlier in my generation (36), because most of my peers (otherwise bright people) are literally helpless when a situation like a major blizzard arises. From not having a pantry and depending on UberEats, not owning a shovel/snowpants/gloves, not being fit enough to walk a couple miles in deep snow, not watching the news and being aware of incoming weather. My network only understood the gravity of that incoming storm because I harangued them about it (also, it was clear and well-publicized for a week, anyone who didn't know about it wasn't paying attention). It's a sad and strange reality for my generation, especially living where we live.
I agree that there's an older guard that has come to distrust and downplay projections of incoming severe winter weather. There are a couple reasons for it in my mind:
First - the volatile nature of lake effect storms and the corresponding difficulty in forecasting them. Meteorologists have to ring alarm bells when there's a chance of substantial impact, even if they only end up accurate 1/5 times. Not to mention the hyper local disparity in impacts that can change from block to block. So if someone has been around for 40 WNY winters, I can understand getting a bit jaded when predictions turn out to be non-storms, preemptively cancelled schools, games, etc.
Second - the local news has become too sensational about storms, failing to convey actual information, and that's really negative and dangerous imo. And somehow they manage to be sensational while also failing to convey the real-life seriousness of the situation and how to prepare. The CNNification of local weather reporting, with flashy graphics and tabloid-quality language, leads people to tune it out.
There is a bit of overrating of capabilities, "I survived back then, I think I'm smart enough to survive this" as you said. But I don't think it's as prevalent as you perhaps and it wasn't a factor in many deaths based on the reporting. It definitely exists though. My 79 year old father, very hardy for his age, initially downplayed the storm, but grudgingly admitted my alarm had be right after I filled up five gas cans for their generator and ended up spending 5 days snowed in for Christmas at their place off Elmwood (which was one of the epicenters of the 5+ feet belt).
Your description of your neighborhood's communal efforts at preparedness and action is great to hear. That's what really makes the difference when the shit hits the fan, when the world shrinks to only what you can trudge to. As I kid, we'd all roam around Elmwood (possibly with a few beers) and push cars out for fun, help people shovel, etc. If I don't have anywhere pressing to be like work or school, there's not much I enjoy more than forgetting about the outside world and just pitching in to help folks for hours on end.
In my opinion, most of the deaths and misery stemmed from a lack of the strong community that you and I seem to both value. 10 of the 35 people whose deaths have been detailed by the BN froze to deaths in their apartments. One can only assume that they were older and probably poorer than the average Buffalonian, and probably living in neighborhoods that are less stable, less owner-occupied, more transient, and thus less connected and supportive. We checked on every older or medically needy neighbor around us, as I'm sure you did. This is one of the things lost from "old Buffalo" and it's dealing with storms. Everyone knew their neighbors and probably had a phone list of everyone on their street. It was a city of little villages. Between the loss of so many expats, the infusion of outsiders into neighborhoods, and the general degradation and atomization of our society, I think we know and care for each other less than ever in this city.
And that gets to my last point, and maybe where we disagree most. I don't think people who piss and moan about the government overplanning or controlling too much are what goes wrong in situations like this today. Whether it's a result of Covid or just the modern helpless condition, I think it's that people expect the government to tell them exactly what to do and take care of them, when it's really their own responsibility. The City, County, and State absolutely dropped the ball in many ways that are larger than one person, family, or neighborhood can manage (and the NYU report on that was damning). But in the end, we're responsible for ourselves and our loved ones, and assuming otherwise is a great way to get into a really bad spot in 2023.
For the two people who read any of this, thanks for indulging me. Turned into more of a blizzard diary than I intended, but I'm a storm-nerd and a civics nerd, plus it was probably one of the most memorable five days that will ever happen to me. I really feel awful for those who were negatively impacted by the storm and I hope we can all learn from it. But my storm experience was incredible. Roaming around the empty streets in the teeth of the heaviest bands, fully geared up, is one of my favorite things ever. That kind of extreme weather happens in only a few rather remote places on earth and we get to experience it in a metro of 1.2 million amongst world-famous architecture and parks. The bars on Elmwood stayed open for the most part, so after snow blowing and cooking all day, everyone walked up at Cole's, Beer Keep, and Jack Rabbit to commiserate and find community. I finally felt like I was experiencing Buffalo history like '77 had been. There was a Goo Goo Dolls singalong at Cole's on Christmas night that feels kinda corny in hindsight, but it was pretty special in the moment.
Again sorry for the length, I just can't wait for snow.
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