Locals recall the Blizzard of '78

SANDUSKY — One of the worst winter storms in Ohio's history paralyzed the region 40 years ago this week.For several days, many schools, businesses and other entities were forced to shut down and ride out a storm that brought low temperatures and weather extremes never experienced before. The front page of the Jan. 26, 1978, issue of the Register includes headlines about Sandusky being in a state of emergency. It also showed people stranded in Perkins Township, bad road conditions in Margaretta Township and the failure of communications equipment in Huron.The National Weather Service reported more than 70 people died in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio during the blizzard, including 51 in Ohio. Of those Ohio deaths, more than 20 resulted from exposure to the elements or lack of heat in their homes.In Ohio, snow accumulation ranged from seven inches to more than a foot of snow, depending on the location. Within hours, the temperature dropped dramatically, down 40 degrees in a short time.Wind gusts were relentless, too."An ore carrier stranded in thick ice on Lake Erie just offshore from Sandusky reported sustained winds of 86 mph with gusts to 111 mph that morning," a report with National Weather Service stated.Also on Jan. 26, 1978: The storm's strength prompted President Jimmy Carter to declare Ohio a "federal disaster" area. In the days afterward, members of National Guard were needed to clear roads, evacuate residents, deliver food and other necessities, drive people to hospitals for treatment and more.Snow piles high near a Sandusky overpass after the Blizzard of 1978 hits the area. 'They couldn't predict it'A handful of local residents shared memories of the storm."My mom was stuck at work (at) Good Samaritan Hospital, so my dad and aunt had us sleep in our basement and we ate Spaghetti O's heated over a (Bunsen) burner," Sandusky resident Chris Biglin Selman said.Sandusky resident Tony Schaefer was 26 when the blizzard hit on Jan. 25, 1978. While living in a condominium near Bogart Road with his then-wife and two young children, he remembers hearing the wind whip around his home that morning, lasting a couple hours. The power went out, too. "I've never heard the thunder and lightning I heard for a half hour like that in the middle of January before," Schaefer said. "The wind sounded like a tornado or a hurricane coming through my backyard."The family didn't have heat in their home for a day or so, but the temperature didn't drop below 50 degrees inside. Schaefer said they couldn't get out of their home for two or three days, but he had to take in his niece and nephew, who didn't have heat in their Bogart Road home."Back then, they couldn't predict it," Schaefer said of the storm. "I really didn't know what the heck was going on. You don't have social media like you do now, and we didn't have electric, no TV or radio or anything."While living on Carr Street, Sandusky city commissioner Dave Waddington recalled digging out nearby sidewalks after the storm."If you had two-wheel drive, you couldn't go anywhere," he said. "I was out of school then, but it was fun for the kids."As a firefighter, Bob McCormick went to work Jan. 25, 1978, to help transport and rescue residents, including nurses going to Providence Hospital. Snow plows paved the way for fire trucks to get to help. He and his co-workers didn't sleep much and cooked for each other at the station.During rescues, he recalled he and his fellow firefighters carried people on their backs."Everyone worked together — citizens, everybody. You feared what you would find," McCormick said.While responding to calls for help, their eyelashes froze. They pressed their fingers against them to thaw them, but some eyelashes would fall off.McCormick summed up how many people feel about the horrific weather event. "I never want to go through that again," he said.Reach reporter Caitlin Nearhood at nearhood@sanduskyregister.com, follow her on Twitter @CaitlinNearhood and on Facebook.com/CaitliNearhoodA man travels through high winds during the Blizzard of 1978.