As snowstorms go, this one was well timed, arriving before the Super Bowl with generous warning from weather forecasters. On Sunday as the storm howled and snow piled up and every window in the house frosted, there was no reason to venture out. But there were people who did — principally the men and women of the town highway departments, emergency responders, police, firefighters, electric company workers and employees at the Martha's Vineyard Hospital.

They are the local heroes.