Risk Management Magazine

Although many of our licensed drivers were considered experienced, they were not very skilled at operating tactical vehicles in snowy conditions for long distances through mountainous terrain. We discovered how treacherous that could be during our first convoy to Ethan Allen.

It was 0800 when I heard the sirens. An aircraft mechanic fell off a stand while conducting maintenance on the flight line. The ambulance was on its way. As I headed to the scene, I thought, “This might be the one.”

I thought working at Fort Drum, New York, for more than 18 years had given me a pretty good feel on how to gauge weather conditions. However, one winter day, my complacency and overconfidence made me question not only my “weather nose,” but also my sanity.