Rain, snow, sleet — reporters cover their beat

Journalists — and firefighters — venture out in all sorts of weather to do their work

By Tammy Malgesini

Staff Writer

Published on December 21, 2016 6:56AM

I just wanna say the post office ain’t got nothing on journalists.

Chiseled in stone at the New York Post Office on Eighth Avenue are the words, “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

Whatever.

After a bunch of snow blanketed Eastern Oregon a decade or so ago, our letter carrier left a note saying that our mail delivery was being suspended until we cleared the white stuff from around our mailbox. And, that wasn’t the first time a carrier had threatened to hold our mail hostage. Someone had crashed into our mailbox, leaving it with a permanent lean to the left. Yup, we had to straighten up the pole before they would resume delivering our bills and junk mail.

Anyway, reporters and photographers don’t let a little snow get in their way of telling the news. While schools get snow days and government agencies are on two-hour delays, journalists are bundling up and trudging to work.

During this recent winter storm, some of my co-workers with rigs that don’t fair well in the snow have car-pooled, while others have strapped ice cleats to their shoes or skis on their feet to walk or glide to the newsroom.

As this past weekend’s Saturday reporter, I checked out the weather forecast before choosing my attire. With temperatures hovering around 0, I decided to wear my Under Armour ColdGear and Gore-Tex Merrells with Vibram soles. It was a wise decision.

I started my day in the warmth of the Hermiston Conference Center. As I exited the building, I planned to go to the newsroom to process photos and write a story. However, the flashing lights on a fire engine caught my attention and I headed to check it out.

It was a frigid 4 degrees outside while I was crunching my way through the snow to get photos of the firefighters in action. Oh, and just a suggestion, Chief Scott Stanton might want to get some ice grippers on those boots of his. He did a little slip slidin’ away, falling on the ice.

I remained upright and stayed as warm as one can with an exposed face and hands while operating a camera. I certainly do appreciate the ColdGear technology of Under Armour — although they are a bit spendy.

Tired of having a cold bum, I bought my first set back when I was skiing all the time. I don’t know if it was shock or my Under Armour, but I stayed relativity warm one time while waiting for ski patrol to rescue me when I look a tumble at Mt. Bachelor.

When I arrived at the ski patrol urgent clinic, I was afraid they might try to cut off my upper layers. I excused myself to the restroom and somehow, despite a broken collarbone, wriggled my way out of the skin-tight Under Armour.

That, my friends, is determination to protect something very important to me. Stay warm!

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Tammy Malgesini is the community editor. Her column, Inside my Shoes, includes general musings about life. Contact her at tmalgesini@eastoregonian.com or 541-564-4539