Gov. Raimondo Applauds School and State Closures in Prep for Storm

In a press conference early Wednesday morning, Rhode Island governor Gina Raimondo said the on-coming storm was the reason why she decided to close state government for the day. 

She said she was also relieved many Rhode Island schools closed for the day too.

"I think they did the right thing," said Raimondo. "We don’t want our kids stuck on school buses. That’s a dangerous situation."

The governor expressed relief that Rhode Island school kids were home Wednesday, to avoid what happened back in the December Debacle of 2007.

"We’ve lived that before and it’s a scary place to be," she said. "We’ve learned from the past and we are playing it safe, which I believe is the right thing to do."

The December Debacle snowstorm was supposed to hit in the late afternoon and evening, but snow started falling and sticking by noon, causing an early dismissal from Rhode Island schools.

The ensuing traffic jam along with heavy snowfall created a nightmare on the roads, as drivers and school buses were stuck for hours on end.

Governor Raimondo said the debacle is why she decided to keep state employees home Wednesday and she’s glad schools did the same thing.

"Maybe it’s the mother in me, " Raimondo said, "but I erred on the side of caution and safety. It’s one day. And I felt for the safety of state employees, their families, and our road crews, it was the right thing to do."

Not all schools were closed Wednesday, however. Many in Southeastern Massachusetts had early dismissals.