How To Stay Safe After The Record Snowfall
Feb 15, 2010 13:36 - 6 Comments
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Dangers still lurk because of all the snow and ice from the February storms. As everyone’s saying, it doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. We are getting another inch or two this evening. As we are all going about our business, keep these safety tips in mind.
Look Up!
We have our back stairs blocked so the ice dam and icicles won’t fall on anyone’s head. Visitors are coming through our garage. Some local businesses are also blocking areas of danger. However, not everyone is taking this precaution. Assess entryways and make sure to stay alert when entering or exiting buildings.
Roof Snow Procedures
If you haven’t already, make sure to clear away the snow by your downspouts and drains. Not doing so backs up the drainage and contributes to ice dams on the roof.
The Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service warns
Please Do NOT attempt to access your roof to clear the snow. Any person on the roof or performing work on the roof from below is risking injury and damage to the roof and house. It is important to contact licensed, bonded, and insured professionals to carry out this job!
MCFRS also reported a house fire due to water leaking down into an electrical panel. If your breakers keep tripping, turn off your main circuit breaker and call a licensed, bonded, and insured electrician.
Driving
Large snow banks are blocking the view at most intersections. Drivers need to nose the car out in order to see if oncoming traffic is coming. Be very alert when driving and expect cars to pull out. Obey speed limits and drive carefully and slowly.
Walking in the Street
Wear bright colors and be aware of vehicles driving on the roads. Look left, right and all around before crossing. Cross in crosswalks where drivers are expecting you.
Snow Forts and Tunnels
My kids have built them, but they are dangerous. Children should never be left unattended and close supervision is necessary. The snow can collapse on the kids making breathing difficult very quickly.
Frozen Water
Don’t even think about going out on ponds or creeks, you can never tell how thick the ice is.
Fire Hydrants
As I’ve said, clear the fire hydrants if they are still buried in your neighborhood!
Stay safe everyone!
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Cindy, Thank you for these very helpful tips!The area (including Rockville) is days, if not weeks, away from fully returning to the safe, “business as usual,” environment that we are used to, and have grown to expect. I continue to view the situation as an ongoing emergency (note: Fairfax schools, which do not observe today’s holiday, were closed for safety reasons). Do not be lulled into a false sense of security just because the sun might be shining and the main roads are passable. Danger continues to lurk at almost every corner.
cindy, you must post the frisbee video! i grew up in FL but lived in MN for four years and MI for one.another tip is assume there is “black ice” on all roads and drive slowly and stay home if you don’t have 4-wheel drive.i’m pretty shocked at how fast and carelessly people are driving lately.
Also, please make sure sidewalks are shoveled. There are still a LOT of walks that are under 2-3 feet of now-slushy snow, some along main roads (Baltimore Road comes to mind) where it’s really too busy to be walking in the street.I seem to remember there’s a number people can call if they are unable to do their walks, and/or an email they can contact? I do feel for folks who live on corners with twice (or more!) as much sidewalk to shovel, but every little bit helps the pedestrians, many of whom depend on those sidewalks to walk to Metro or Marc.One more thing: parking lot courtesy, please! There are fewer spaces, the spaces are smaller, and in many cases lines that mark spaces are hard to see. Most of us are doing the best we can; a little more patience than usual is necessary till the huge piles are manageable and the spaces are full-size again.
Cindy:Excellent tips, particularly the “Look Up” paragraph. Falling snow and ice from roofs present a serious risk of harm. In Town Center the other day, I witnessed a large chunk of ice fall from the roof and smash on the sidewalk in front of the Starbucks and the donut shop. Thankfully, no one was entering or exiting those places at the time. Please everyone, be aware.John B.
The Montgomery County Council of PTA’s Health and Safety Chairperson also has a couple of good suggestions:* Bus stops: Elementary and middle schools may want to encourageparents to walk with their child to school or to the bus stop untilconditions are safer. Banks of snow are limiting visibility aroundcorners and bus stops will be precarious because many sidewalks are notplowed and waiting areas may be icy with waiting space only on thestreet. Bring shovels and clear waiting areas. If you don’t think it’ssafe, then do what you can to make it safe. * School property: Parents can volunteer to cut down some highsnow piles at corner areas to improve visibility and to be sure ourstudent patrols are visible (work with principal on this and any otherneeds on the school property)
As I saw on the news this week regarding a fire at a Rockville house, another safety tip…don’t use propane torches to melt ice on your roof!Whoever thought that up need to have their head examined. I’m sure having to watch the fire crew spend 10 minutes digging out each hydrant wasn’t fun either for the occupants of said house. The news did report $1.4M in damage. However, just from the picture, the house could be rebuilt cheaper than that. So I’m guessing there were some pretty valuable valuables in there to run up that much damage.While frozen ponds around here are dangerous, they aren’t dangerous everywhere. Think “Ice Road Truckers”. Zero to 100mph in 5 seconds on a snowmobile makes frozen lakes fun, given that you have 12+ inches of ice to be “safe” at the same time.I’m ready for an early spring.