I try to stay out of halachic discussions but I would like to ask Zehavadad two questions. Firstly, refuah sheleimah secondly, I am not going to put fault because it is shared and no one to blame.
Question #1: If you could go back and redo that they what would you do differently?
Question #2: If it is a greater sakana’s nefesh NOT to shovel snow on Shabbos than it is a chilul Shabbos don’t you think there would be announcements and posters instructing people on this issue. Don’t you think that every Rav in EVERY shul and even in yeshiva would be discussing it and making sure their point hit home to make sure the snow is shoveled even on Shabbos?
Growing up in BP under the laws of NYC, we all knew that we had to get out the second Shabbos was over and clean up because we had a grace period on Shabbos. WE were not ticketed because WE were not permitted to shovel snow and the city could not force us to go against our religion, but the second Shabbos was over if we weren’t out there doing the right thing we would get ticketed and quickly.