Ok. So a massive storm. Flooding on the expressways. 2 hours to get to my work ( I work from 11:PM to 6:30AM) Flooding down all the streets. Well, what I thought of for that would be some type of boots and pants to help people stuck in their cars. What else?

Secondly, I want a GREAT compact shovel for the car for winter use. No cheap stuff. I really am sick and tired of it.

Also, snow duster? Snow shovel for sidewalk use that will last over 2 years? Any suggestions?

Boots/pants, how about fishing waders?

Compact shovel, Glock makes a great E-tool with a saw in the handle. Not your standard snow shovel, but works better in crusty snow and ice than a snow shovel.

Areas here in Houston are prone to flooding. With that in mind I keep some industrial waste bags in my car (along with the normal equipped gear). These bags are about 30" tall and made out of a thick, strong plastic. When I'm stuck wading I slip these bags over my feet and duct-tape them to my legs to protect my shoes/pants. Ugly but effective and they don't take up much room.

-Blast

If you want a good portable shovel; go to your local REI and ask for a "backcountry skiing / boarding" shovel. Something that is made for skiers to carry in their pack.
A few brands are Black Diamond Equipment, Volie', G3, Life-Link and Back Country Access.

The BEST car shovel for all around duties that I've found, bar none, is a standard garden shovel with the handle cut down so it is about two feet long including the blade. I've dug my car out a few times with it, and while it might not work as well as snow shovel with powder, it works better on anything crusted over with ice, or piled up by the snow plow in big chunks.

And it's cheap, to. Like $15 for a good shovel at Home Despot, a minute with the saw in a Leatherman or SAK, and you are all set before you even leave thier parking lot. And what you take off makes a good thumping stick.

Remember that just a few inches of fast moving flood water has much more power that you might expect. Be cautious and think through your actions (as you seem to be doing with your post).

Also, you never know when a manhole cover had been popped up and out due to the force of the flood water and your next step will send you down into the hole (and a watery grave). In flooded streets my advice is to call 911 and let trained emergency crews do their job.

I always carried plastic bladed shovels in my truck. They may not last as long, but they also don't do nearly as much damage when I accidentally slam them into the sheet metal. They're usually pretty inexpensive too.

Do they get brittle enough to break in low temps?

Sue

Nope. I bought a pair of plastic bladed shovels for our trucks when I first got married (hmmm, I think that was 14 years ago - I'd better ask my wife ... yeah right, not a good idea) and they are still working well. My kids have used them to help clear the driveway since they could carry them and that was about eight winters now and they are still in very good shape...and you know how hard kids can be on anything. Thanks to the miracle of modern plastics!

Plastic shovels without a metal edge aren't much use for scraping ice, but they work great for clearing snow.

The advantage to driving a shabby car- you dont' care all that much if there is yet another scratch. :P

It actually is a concern, but in all the years I've done this, I've never wacked the car. I dig down so there is only about an inch, and pull that off with my hands. And I've yet to meet the plastic shovel that does so well with snow plow piles- around here, they use salt and sand, and it gets turns into a pile almost rock hard, head sized chunks of dirty ice along the road sides.