by California Casualty | Safety |
The National Weather Service is describing the ice storm tightening a frozen grip on the southeastern part of the US with words like: Catastrophic, crippling and an even of historical proportions.
Unlike blizzards, ice storms present unique problems that require special preparations.
For your safety, we have excerpted an article from ehow.com on ice storm preparation.
Instructions
Place a winter emergency kit in your car. There are going to be times when a winter ice storm will hit when you are away from the house. Unfortunately, most employers will not let you call out because the weatherman is calling for a winter ice storm. Your winter emergency kit will help you to get home in one piece no matter what you encounter.
Collect all of your flashlights and candles together and make sure that everything is working correctly before the winter ice storm hits. Winter ice storms have been notorious for knocking out power to millions with the weight of the ice on power lines. Do not be left in the dark during the winter ice storm.
Keep your pantry stocked with food that you can eat with out having to cook it. If you lose power during a winter ice storm, you want to make sure that you can still eat. You can also make sure you have all the usual food necessities in case you still have power but are stuck in the house for a few days due to the winter ice storm.
Tips & Warnings
- Try to prepare for a winter ice storm as far in advance as you can. This will keep you home and safe as the storm is on the way.
Read more: ehow.com
Here are some safe driving tips if you encounter ice:
Driving safely on icy roads
- Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
- Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
- Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
- Keep your lights and windshield clean.
- Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
- Don’t use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
- Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
- Don’t pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you’re likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
- Don’t assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.
If your rear wheels skid…
- Take your foot off the accelerator.
- Steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. If your rear wheels are sliding left, steer left. If they’re sliding right, steer right.
- If your rear wheels start sliding the other way as you recover, ease the steering wheel toward that side. You might have to steer left and right a few times to get your vehicle completely under control.
- If you have standard brakes, pump them gently.
- If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brakes. Apply steady pressure to the brakes. You will feel the brakes pulse — this is normal.
If your front wheels skid…
- Take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, but don’t try to steer immediately.
- As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow the vehicle and traction will return. As it does, steer in the direction you want to go. Then put the transmission in “drive” or release the clutch, and accelerate gently.
by California Casualty | Firefighters |
Technological advancements have made streamlining processes and optimizing operations possible universally, with the impact affecting the largest corporations all the way down to our daily lives. One area where the application of the latest technology is evident is in public safety, and in particular the help it provides first responders. Here’s a look at the benefits that technology provides for emergency responders — from greater intelligence to better communications.
Personnel Management and Automatic Vehicle Location Systems
Personnel systems and Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) systems give first responders an instantaneous view of their personnel, vehicles and medical equipment. Through the use of technology, a real-time status of the entire operation allows first responders to track down equipment, make decisions on dispatching personnel and know immediately if any areas are understaffed.
Intelligence and Computer-Aided Dispatch
A main theme behind the implementation of technology in the vehicles and dispatch offices of EMTs and first responders is eliminating paperwork. When first responders are bogged down in paperwork, they cannot properly focus on their efforts to provide response to emergencies quickly and effectively. Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems digitize the act of managing incidents, allowing individuals to enter them into a management system from dispatch or from vehicle-mounted computers.
Within this system, there is a running account of what’s happening, enabling quick decisions. This data can also be pushed into a records management system (RMS). With an archive of events, CAD systems can run reports and first responders can leverage the intelligence gleaned for a more effective response strategy in the future.
Electronic Patient Care Reporting
Electronic Patient Care Reporting (ePCR) is a reporting and filing system for first responders for managing the medical side of the operation, rather than the logistical side. No longer do emergency personnel have to worry about misplacing or throwing out important medical records. These systems are also more secure than a paper filing system and allow personnel to quickly file reports and return to work immediately.
Mass Notification Systems
The prevalence of cell phones and social media have given first responders an advantage when it comes to receiving calls, including civilian distress applications. Civilian distress applications can be downloaded onto a smartphone, and used to notify the public, law enforcement, or medical personnel of an event. Early responders can utilize these apps like they are accepting 911 calls. By doing so, they stand to reduce call qualification time by using GPS to pinpoint exactly where the distress call is coming from. The caller’s identity can also be determined, further reducing time to intervention.
Cell phone prevalence also brings with it social media, as many smartphone owners regularly use their favorite social media apps on their phones. Monitoring social media can give early responders information on events, enabling the proper planning and decision-making on the go. Additionally, social media acts as a useful platform for public safety announcements.
Technology in the right hands is a wonderful thing, and it’s even better when technology is put to good use. With advances in technology in public health, first responders are leveraging their intelligence and improving communications, which is leading to better response and, overall, more lives saved.
Author Bio:
Cheryl Bikowski is Marketing Communications Supervisor of Gamber-Johnson in Stevens Point, WI. Gamber-Johnson is a leading supplier of vehicle docking stations and vehicle computer mounts and is a member of the Leggett & Platt Commercial Vehicle Products (CVP) Group.
by California Casualty | Safety |
As the southeast continues to clean up from this week’s ice and snow storm, what would you do if you were stuck for hours, or days, in a surprise storm? Drivers in Alabama and Georgia faced the dangerous dilemma this week as a surprise storm moved in, stranding people for over 24 hours. Outdoor survival experts and search and rescue groups have put out these life saving tips.
How to Be Prepared:
1. Always drive with at least three-fourths of a tank of gas during the winter months. In an emergency, you will need as much gas as possible.
2. Pack a fleece blanket, emergency food and a first aid kit in the interior of your car. In an emergency the trunk might not be accessible, and fleece is one of the few pieces of material that retains its ability to provide warmth if it gets wet.
3. Have a container in the car that is capable of holding snow. In an emergency it may be necessary to collect snow in order to hydrate.
4. Replace all the interior light bulbs with LED bulbs. LED bulbs use about one-twelfth of the energy of an incandescent bulb and cost less than a tank of gas. In an emergency, conserving the car battery is extremely important, and the LED bulbs make a big difference.
What to Do If You’re Stranded:
1. Don’t panic and don’t rely on your technology. Survival is never about technology and always about temperament. In many cases cell phones and GPS devices may have been disabled by the accident or will not have service. However, if they are functional, they should be used immediately.
2. Always stay in your vehicle. If people are coming to look for you there is a better chance they will see a car than a person. You will also be able to survive for longer in your vehicle than in the elements. There are only two circumstances in which you should leave the vehicle. The first is if you are familiar with the surroundings and are certain it would be easy to walk to safety. The second is an option of last resort in which you believe you have absolutely no chance of surviving unless you try to walk to safety.
3. Keep your seat belt on. In winter conditions it is likely that other drivers may slide into your vehicle after it has become stuck.
4. Crack the back window slightly. Oftentimes the tail pipe is obstructed by snow, which can cause deadly carbon monoxide fumes to get into the vehicle when the engine is running.
5. Run the engine for 10 to 15 minutes every hour. This will allow you to heat the car, melt snow into water and even warm a meal if you have packs of survival food. It will also conserve gas and prolong the life of both the engine and the battery. In an emergency, the vehicle is your lifeboat, and you want it to be functional for as long as possible.
Read more lifesaving winter tips by visiting here.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
by California Casualty | Homeowners Insurance Info |
It costs mere pennies a day, yet many renters don’t get insurance to cover their electronics, clothes, furniture and other valuable possessions. Many renters are under the assumption their landlord’s insurance will cover their goods if there is a fire, a flood, or a tree falls onto the structure. Sure, the damage to the building will be covered, but not the contents inside.
With another winter storm slamming the eastern third of the U.S., insurance experts warn it could be a very cold reality for renters, and even homeowners who do not have property insurance, if a winter malady should hit.
Renters insurance covers fire or lightning, windstorm or hail, freezing of plumbing systems, theft, and more. Also, keep in mind, if someone is injured at the domicile you rent, renters insurance can help protect you if there is a liability lawsuit.
Renters insurance can be purchased for as little as a couple hundred dollars a year, but statistics show as many as 70 percent of renters go without the coverage.
by California Casualty | Firefighters |
Driving is part of nearly every call, and medical emergencies do not stop happening on account of bad driving conditions. When winter rolls around, most people can leave the car in the garage and stay off the roads. As an EMT you don’t have that luxury, and there are certain precautions and considerations to take. Here are some tips on how to stay safe on the road as a paramedic, from keeping the vehicle in good condition to reducing your speed.
At the station
When the temperatures are dropping and you hear that first winter forecast of the season, preparing your vehicle should be your first move. If you drive a vehicle that belongs to a department, the tires are usually well maintained, and the tread depth should be sufficient for winter driving. Even so, it certainly doesn’t hurt to check. If you are a volunteer, then it is your responsibility to check the inflation and tread depth of the tires on your vehicle.
Check that you have the appropriate level of fluids that are specifically meant to combat freezing temperature, namely antifreeze. Also, your windshield wiper fluid should be rated not to freeze, so make sure you’ve got enough. You’d hate to be flying blind out there.
Speaking of your windshield wipers and your windshield, make sure your wiper blades are soft, pliable and in good condition. Visibility is greatly reduced in inclement weather, so remember to clean your windows and windshield thoroughly between calls. Ice, snow and salt can all accumulate over time, so make sure that your headlights and emergency lights are cleared off. This ensures other motorists can see you when you’re rushing to respond. Snow and ice can also pack into your siren cones, so clear those out to make sure your siren is at full volume.
On the road
Getting your vehicle properly prepared to face the harsh environment in the event of a call is only half the battle. The rest takes place when you’re actually driving, and a main factor is ice. You don’t always see ice, so an important thing to do when you’re responding to a call is to reduce your speed and increase your stopping distance. You may tend to ignore your speed while focusing to respond as fast as possible, but you may be putting yourself and other motorists in danger.
Black ice can show up anywhere; so remember that just because you can see the road does not mean it is free of ice. Remember that bridges and overpasses freeze before the rest of the road does, so be especially careful when your route takes you over one. Ice isn’t always the culprit in winter driving, so watch out for snow and slush as well. Snow and slush make roads slippery, and you can get stuck in particularly deep snow. Don’t drive into deep snow unless you are driving a vehicle that is adequately suited for it.
Above all, be careful! With a proactive attitude and an awareness of road conditions, you’ll be able to carefully and quickly respond to any emergency calls during the winter.
Author Bio:
Cheryl Bikowski is Marketing Communications Supervisor of Gamber-Johnson in Stevens Point, WI. Gamber-Johnson is a leading supplier of vehicle computer mounts and vehicle docking stations and is a member of the Leggett & Platt Commercial Vehicle Products (CVP) Group.
