What a crazy week it has been for weather across the country. Fire departments that have probably never seen snow and ice like this — Houston, Southern California and others — have had their hands full in the past couple of weeks.
With that in mind, here are a few tips for dealing with the snow and ice:
• Drive carefully. Consider non-code responses when the ice hits;
• Put some sand in a bucket and keep it in the truck. Pour it out on the ground around the truck on the scene. If you’re working an extrication, pour it out where the guys are working the tools so they have some traction, and pour it around the pump panel for the engineer;
• Stay warm and aware of how your body is reacting to the low temperatures. Hypothermia and frost bite can hit quicker than you think;
• Did I mention drive carefully? Be careful! On Sunday, Jan. 21, it was 34 degrees out, and one of our rigs slid right past the point where it was supposed to turn. I was behind them, and Paulie was driving slow and careful while responding to one of five accidents in a 1 mile stretch of icy road.
Bottom line: Be careful and stay warm.