Even if the federal government "closes", essential personnel are required to be there. It never really "closes" down all the way. NYC had weather reports just like DC did, and DC and the surrounding areas are notoriously under-prepared for anything more than a couple inches at a time. If NYC was unprepared for the snow, well, that's the fault of the city. With what was predicted, I don't see how they couldn't have been ready unless they completely stuck their heads in the sand. However, I have a hard time believing there aren't any sort of contingency plans for things like this.

Things were largely paralyzed here as well. Despite the warning, I couldn't get out of my house for 4 days as that's how long it took the county to get to my street. Then once it was cleared, it snowed just as much AGAIN and it took another couple days to get dug out again.

I wasn't considered essential personnel then. However, I'm likely to be once my internal organization becomes fully operational. When that time comes, I'll have to have a contingency plan for things like this. If that means I have a bag in my car and I might not be getting home, well, that's life.