Lorraine resident Janet Willix says she was stuck in her home for four days, including Christmas, after the recent multi-day snowfall that hit the region. Her home was buried in by nearly six feet of snow.

"I was trying to throw it over the snow bank and it would come right back down," Willix said.

Willix, who is in her 70s, lives alone in the Town of Lorraine. 

"She couldn't get out, she couldn't let her pets outside, so she called the fire department," said Lorraine Fire Chief Mark Shelmidine.

Wednesday, the town's volunteer fire company arrived with manpower and machinery.

"We used shovels initially to get a path to the house to get the door open, then we brought a payloader in to clear the heavier snow," Shelmidine said.

Firefighters say this is an important reminder to check on your neighbors. 

"If they know they've got some neighbors that are especially elderly, if they can just stop in and check on them to make sure they can get in and out of the house," Shelmidine said.

Willix says she's very grateful for the help of the firefighters. 

"He said, 'We dug up part of your lawn,' " Willix said. "I said, 'I don't care. You could have plowed up the whole thing, just as long as I can get out of this house.'

"I never want that feeling again, never."