In 1979, I lived in Denver PA which is about 50 miles east of Harrisburg. I taught in an elementary school and we were in school until Thursday, when the local schools closed due to fear of an impending catastrophe at TMI. My clearest memory of the experience in my 6th grade classroom at that time was that one the toughest boys in the class, of his own accord, took all of the volumes of our encyclopedia and covered the hot air heat vents, trying to save us all.
By Friday, I was convinced we should leave the area and head south, against prevailing winds, so I got a small box and told my children that they could only take with us what they could fit in that box. My 15 year old son chose a football and my 11 year old son chose Legos. Told me a lot about them and their values.
Later that day, Dr. Denton came on the scene and gave us all hope, so we never did flee the area. I would have, but none of the other adults in my family and friends thought things were serious, and would not agree to leave.
It was an incredibly stressful time.
Maribeth