Michele's cold weather gear

When the weather becomes news, reporters expect to be standing right in the middle of it. Just like the postman, the elements will not keep a reporter from getting the job done.

That’s why News Four Reporter Michele McClintick keeps THREE bags full of boots (three pairs!), scarves, hats, gloves, and long underwear under her desk. As a nightside reporter, Michele never knows where her assignments will take her and for how long. And, just for good measure, Michele says she ALWAYS wears heavy tights to work in the winter. Her experiences in the cold have taught her to be prepared.

And speaking of experiences, Michele tells me she was so happy that Photographer Paul Ivancic was driving as the two of them plowed through the icy slush on Tuesday night. They were headed to Orchard Park to interview the school superintendent about the possibility of closing schools in the cold weather. Michele says their station minivan skidded around the exit at Route 20A and would have wound up crashing into the guard rail, had it not been for Paul’s steady and experienced hands on the wheel.

Lorey's ski pants

Reporter Lorey Schultz is one of our veteran cold warriors. She pulled her cold weather gear from a bag under her desk to show me what she keeps handy. As a skier, Lorey has an extra pair of ski pants on hand for those sudden trips to see how the lake effect snow is piling up in the Southern Tier. She also has hats, extra boots, scarves and sweaters stashed in her canvas tote. And, Lorey says she broke down and made an important purchase this month using gift cards she got for Christmas. She now owns her first pair of Uggs – to really keep her feet warm.

Photographer Rich Ersing not only spent many frigid minutes outside Wednesday morning to document the valiant work of firefighters trying to save a house in Black Rock, but he had his own personal battle with the elements. All that water the firefighters poured on the house turned to ice in an instant — covering the house, sidewalks, and street. Rich did a circus-like balancing act as he teetered across the icy scene with a heavy tripod in one hand and a weighty video camera in the other. At one point, his feet slipped out from under him, but Rich, ever the pro, went down on his knees without injury and kept the equipment from crashing to the ground.

George's long johns

Reporter George Richert is an avid outdoorsman and well-equipped to weather any storm. (Did you see him use an auger with ease this week in his report on the safety of ice fishermen?) But, most outdoorsmen don’t have to report to work in a business suit prepared to report on anything from a court hearing to an ice rescue. George showed me his secret in this picture – quilted long johns that fit right under his suit! George tells me one of his most memorable experiences in the cold came several years ago when he and a photographer finished their live report and returned to the live truck to find the doors frozen shut. They trudged to a Thruway toll booth and somehow found hot water that they poured on the truck door (kids, don’t try this at home!) and fought their way inside for the ride back to the station.

Everyone in the newsroom has his or her own personal survival routine. Photographer Ron Gabalski cuts the fingers off a thick pair of gloves and wears a thin pair of gloves underneath so he can manipulate the buttons on his camera. Photographer Frank Pacella wears a bright red pair of Thinsulate hunting pants for warmth handed down from his father-in-law. Photographer Josh Roy is a snowboarder and wears that same gear to be comfortable outdoors on the job. Photographer Boe Baker swears by his waterproof boots.

You may remember Reporter Wadi Sawabini who was part of the News Four team some twenty years ago. Wadi was a volunteer firefighter and always kept his turnout gear and boots in his car. I have memories of Wadi wearing his gear while covering the work of firefighters during frigid winter nights. I’m not sure if there were any rules against it, but he sure looked warm.

As for me, I always keep hats, socks, and an extra pair of boots in my car. Decades ago, when I was green and didn’t know better, I stood out in the cold for hours covering stories with wet feet and frozen fingers. Today, my feet and hands are extremely sensitive to the cold — and I blame that on those early days of cold weather reporting. Now I try to warn the new reporters not to take their health for granted and not to worry about looking fashionable. Our job is to cover the story of the cold. No one expects us to sacrifice our safety to do it and, in fact, we will sometimes hear from viewers who tell us to bundle up!