Winter Season Safety reminders.

Anaheimfan

Blue Collar Boy
Hello everyone, with the winter season approaching (in some places, it's already here to stay) I thought I would offer some Safety Tips and Reminders for you.

#1: WORKING SMOKE ALARMS. Now may be the time of year to replace those batteries and test your alarms. *For those of you in Ontario, Canada, you will face a $200 fine if they are not working or there*

#2: Space heaters, candles, etc away from Christmas trees.

#3: Ice on lakes must be AT LEAST 10-12 inches and solid before setting foot on it...This has got to be one of my Pet Peeves...I've already responded to 2 ice/water rescue calls this week.

#4: Woodstoves and fireplaces should be given the appropriate space, as well, fire places should have guards up, and wood should be stored far enough away to prevent any ignition. It would also be a good idea to have your Woodstove inspected by someone who is WET (Wood Energy Technician) certified.

#5: Salt/Sand/Molasses on your driveways and steps so no one falls and hurts themselves.

#6: Do not over-exhert yourself shovelling, many people die of heart attacks every year from this.

#7: Carry things in your vehicle like spare coats, gloves, flashlights, matches/lighter, a latern, a portable radio, a cellphone, a Shovel, a First Aid kit, flares or some sort of reflector. And finally, kitty litter.

And now, since there is a greater chance of seeing car accidents in the winter, I will offer some basic advice about approaching the scene, and 1st Aid.

First off, ALWAYS approach the patient in a way that you can initiate eye-contact. The patient should not have to move their head to see you, by extension, always assume the patient has a C-spine injury and don't move them.

If someone is ejected, the same rules apply. Make eye-contact. Approach head-on.

If there are multiple victims, prioritize your patients but remember, once you have stablized one, you cannot remove your hands and rush to another one.

NEVER remove someone from a wrecked vehicle unless there is an immediate or impending risk of the vehicle bursting into flame. Heavy enough smoke counts. If you remove someone from a vehicle, and they wind up paralyzed, you can be sued. However, if you remove someone from a vehicle that is on fire, or close to exploding, and paralyze them, you are protected by the Good Semeritan Act.

If you carry road flares in your car, set them up around the accident scene to make it safer for you, the patients in the wrecked vehicle, and others on the road.

Don't put yourself in any more danger than you need to.

To sum that all up:

1: Always approach head on, the patient shouldn't have to move his/her head to see you. Always assume a C-Spine injury.

2: Prioritize patients if there is more than one. But once you have began to support one's head/neck, do not stop.

3: Do not remove anyone from a vehicle unless they are in grave danger.

4: Make the scene safe for everyone involved.

5: Don't attempt CPR unless you are certified, again, there are legal issues.

6: Don't put yourself in uncessary danger.

7: Continue to support the patient's head/neck until Emergency Services show up, once they get to the patient (s) let them do their job. If they want help, they will ask.

8: If the car is unstable, do not start prying on doors, etc, as it will shake the car, and possibly harm the patient worse.

9: Blood/Bodily fluids are dangerous, a Patient could have HIV, AIDS, or Hepatitis A, B, or C. It may help to ask the patient if they have any communicable diseases or any of those listen above....Even so, it is best to avoid Blood and Body Fluids.

10: Drive defensively, and report any aggressive drivers.


Have a safe and happy holiday,

thank you.
 

TerryJ2

Well-Known Member
Wow, great stuff, thank you.
Having grown up in MN, this is the part I like best, but can't get my kids to understand:
#7: Carry things in your vehicle like spare coats, gloves, flashlights, matches/lighter, a latern, a portable radio, a cellphone, a Shovel, a First Aid kit, flares or some sort of reflector. And finally, kitty litter.
 

Abbey

Spork Queen
thank you - very good advice, although I might not agree with some of it. I don't really care about the legal aspects. If someone needs CPR...I'm going to give it. Certified ions ago, and I'm sure things have changed, but if a person is dying...I'm going to give it a shot. Sue me. Ha! You can have my debt. Jail would probably be a tad warmer and free food.

I would never move an injured person unless fire is on the horizon.

No tree, so space heaters are not an issue.

Ice on a lake? Ha! You'd have to drag me with chains to go out there. I've already had customers telling me about ice fishing because there is 2 inches of ice. Well, have fun.

The shoveling thing...you should have told me this yesterday.:mad:

husband is on his way back from Vegas towing a trailer. He calls every now and then about the dozens of cars he's seeing in the ditches. Bad wind, snow, etc. I'm wondering...where are these people that were in the cars? You're in the middle of Idaho and you careen off the road and can't get back up. Tripple A? They're literally driving 25-30 MPH on the highway because of the conditions. He said one 20 mile stretch had 33 cars and one semi in the ditch. That was what he could see. Much of the time he couldn't even see. Yes...this is my incredibly smart H that chose to travel today.

Abbey
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
Thanks thank you! Very good common sense advice! I have bought both my daughters an emergency kit for their car, but have yet to by myself the same. Maybe I will do that for myself this Christmas...a little something else under the tree for me! difficult child always has massive amounts of clothing in her car - no worries there. But easy child, never. I have to remind them to keep their beach blankets, at least, in their cars over the winter!

Thanks for sharing this valuable, possibly life saving, information.
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
Molasses on the driveway???? (blink blink) WHA??

no no Northern rescue dude -

Molasses IN the cookies.

Hugs
Martha Stewart:surprise:
 

trinityroyal

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the timely reminder thank you.

I have to get on the ball with putting my emergency kit in my car. It totally slipped my mind! I've had the snow brush in since October (it was a birthday present), but rest is still sitting in the garage. Eeeek.
 
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