Storm Protocol

On January 26 & 27, 2015, we got 28-30" of snow, quickly, in Fairfield County. SEVEN fleet cars were stuck in Bridgeport for almost four DAYS because the snow got too deep, too fast, to plow. So Bridgeport residents had to wait for the city to come to everyone’s narrow street with a front-loader!

It was the same on my street in Shelton, CT. We were just lucky the bucket loader cleared the road just past my driveway on day one. So I can get to the main artery street.

**MEANWHILE** JFK got MUCH less snow, had very few cancellations, so OUR CLIENTS DID NOT CANCEL!! So Bridgeport chauffeurs left their fleet cars at home and walked through 28 inches of snow, down their side streets, to our van, on main artery roads, and were driven to other fleet cars. They brought a couple of changes of clothes and stayed in hotels in Norwalk for a couple of days.

Teddy’s Storm Protocol – FOUR STAGES:

Our clients count on us to show up 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year – no matter what. And that is what we aim to do. So when dangerous weather comes, we try to drive slowly and safely and get to everyone that needs us.

But if the storm, whether it be winter or summer, is predicted to become dangerous (accidents, flooding, etc.), then we’ll use FOUR STAGES of care:

1. STAGE 1: accidents or major flooding is predicted for the next shift
   1. Call clients that are going to places other than airports (dinner, shows, meetings) to see if they would like to cancel. FIRST, we would call clients whose hometowns are due to get more snow or flooding, such as those more north than Norwalk or at higher elevations.
   2. Staff: PACK A BAG to plan to GO TO A HOTEL: We need you in the office if you’re office staff. The phone traffic may actually be busier than usual. If you don’t think you’ll be able to make it in, next shift: Ask Teddy’s to get you a hotel room near work. Looks like you won’t be able to get home after your shift? Pack a bag and ask management to get you a hotel room near the office.SAME WITH CHAUFFEURS: Norwalk is more south and nearer to Long Island Sound, than many your homes. So snow accumulation is usually much less than towns inland and more north. Get you and your fleet car to a hotel near the office (and management’s discretion).
   3. ESPECIALLY FOR SNOW, chauffeurs should get their fleet car off very narrow streets that may not get plowed until a day or more after the storm ..to a parking garage on or near a major artery street that is more likely to be plowed early
   4. Plan to wake up much earlier to shovel
   5. Obviously, check even outbound flights for cancellation.
   6. Check arriving flights to make sure they actually depart
2. STAGE 2: If the situation comes to bear that the roads are getting pretty dangerous and it such conditions will clearly continue to deteriorate. So we call back those same non-airport clients and URGE them to cancel because of:
   1. The current and future danger
   2. And we might have to cancel the order anyway, ourselves, and not send a chauffeur. We will call them if we do that.
   3. Now also call clients heading TO an airport (once you see their outbound flight is not yet cancelled). And give them the same speech as above.
3. STAGE 3: We will do everything in our power to get people who are arriving INTO airports, to their home. But we will not come for non-airport reservations and reservations for rides TO airports. This stage and action is to be considered ‘most severe’ and may only be invoked with Charlie’s authority.
4. STAGE 4: The governor of CT and/or NY have declared that the roads and highways are closed to non-emergency traffic and we cannot, legally, come to you.