Your Government Foul-Up Fact Sheet

All of the following facts come from published media reports:

While dozens of vehicles spun out, no major accidents, deaths, or injuries were reported

Other than spinouts, neither state nor Boston police had any major accidents or bouts of snow rage to report.


"It's the turnpikes and expressways," Menino said at an afternoon press conference. "As one state official said to one of our commissioners, 'We didn't have the equipment to deal with this emergency.' "

City officials privately said last night that they were unhappy with both the state's plowing and sanding and the absence of State Police at several key designated city intersections.
State Police Lieutenant Barry O'Brien said officials became aware of the mayor's concerns shortly before 9 p.m.

Governor Deval Patrick sent state employees home before lunch and urged businesses to do the same. Menino asked department heads to send nonessential city employees home at 1 p.m.

"We were fully prepared," said Commissioner Luisa Paiewonsky of the Massachusetts [State] Highway Department. "People were leaving at the time the storm was peaking. The state sent people home. . . . It was a challenge for all of us."

“I can’t tell you what happened,” Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency spokesman Peter Judge said last night. “People are going to have to examine this. We’ve been planning for this all week. There were no surprises. It’s not like it snuck up on us. From our standpoint, it was textbook preparation.”

Boston Mayor Tom Menino and Gov. Deval Patrick had both urged employers to let some workers leave early yesterday, largely to avoid massive traffic tie-ups late in the afternoon.

the Boston and Newton public schools did not dismiss classes early.