There have been many snow storms this winter, and the governors of many states have had to declare a state-of-emergency as a result. Several problems arose for residents who were unprepared. Many had to go to area emergency shelters to get food, water, light and warmth. The snow storms also caused many injuries, which drove record numbers of people to the emergency rooms. However, most of those injuries were a result of not being wise:
ER doctors say some patients suffered injuries when they slipped and fell, others over exerted themselves shoveling and have back injuries or cardiac problems.
Others, including Lloyd Gleason, have injuries related to snowblowers. Gleason says he’s embarrassed about putting his hand in his snowblower while it was running. He fractured two fingers and lost a third.
I bring this story to your attention to remind us all that winter preparedness needs to be comprehensive and involve common sense. It’s great to prepare for a major catastrophe and have all the kits and/or supplies you need. However, make sure you also use basic skills and know-how to prepare for the little things like safely removing snow from your driveway. Oh, and don’t stick your hand in a snowblower!
Source:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-mn-snowstorminjuries,0,7878476.story