By Matt de Simone
During the last couple of weeks, Botetourt residents were met with icy and frigid conditions. There was snow, then ice, then a little more snow, and before that could melt, below freezing temperatures kept the ice and snow on the ground for an extended period.
Local emergency workers prepared themselves to brave the conditions and continue their services for the community, as they do every winter. Department of Fire & EMS Chief Jason Ferguson took some time to talk about the challenges emergency workers face when winter weather approaches.
“Generally, many of the challenges that are faced through the colder months are predictable situations where increased preparedness and training occur to address,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson shared a list of what emergency staff faces in the winter months which include general challenges getting to scenes if there is snow and/or ice, where four-wheel drive vehicles or chains may be needed.
Other preparations include:
- Brushing up on flue fire extinguishment training and ensuring adequate supplies of extinguishment agent are available.
- Ensuring for the proper function and preventative maintenance of the fire pumps on apparatus, to ensure effective recirculation of water during below freezing conditions.
- Making certain that personnel have the appropriate assigned basic set of cold-weather gear for operating in adverse conditions.
- A great deal of attention to detail for weather forecasts through the emergency manager’s office is key to making sure that the department is spooling up resources for the most realistic forecast ahead of predicted storms.
Snow and ice can impact how quickly fire and EMS staff arrives on the scene. Ferguson shared that these conditions could present “lengthened” travel times for the safety of emergency personnel.
“Additional resources are generally more available during winter weather events,” Ferguson added. “Often times there is increased availability and presence of volunteers standing by at the stations, as well as career staff up-staffing for additional personnel in utility vehicles to assist with access and transition of patients in and out of houses. This increased availability of personnel often allows for a more adequately staffed response during snow and icy events, even though driving times are affected.”
Most often, procedures for incidents on snowy or icy roads depend on when and where they are occurring, Ferguson noted. During active winter weather events, staff will modify the response to limit the number of resources on the road for the safety of all involved.
For roadway incidents, emergency workers will try their best to either clear the incident or remove it from the roadway as promptly as possible, as to get those involved and the responders off the roadway as quickly as possible.
“In certain cases, chains are needed for apparatus to safely travel to these scenes, as well as increase stopping distances and maintain traction to not become part of the problem on the roadways,” Ferguson said. “We always encourage people to stay off the roadways during the events as the No. 1 prevention measure.”
Heating sources are also potentially hazardous in extreme cold. Ferguson noted that it really depends on the source of heat.
“For wood stoves, ensuring that the flue is intact and clean at the beginning of the season is important,” Ferguson explained. “A broken or clogged flue could lead to a fire within the home. Propane and natural gas equipment should be maintained in alignment with manufacturer’s recommendations to avoid leaks or inefficient burning that could cause carbon monoxide build-up. Smoke alarms are very important to have throughout the home, as well as carbon monoxide detectors for any homes with propane or natural gas equipment.”
The Botetourt County Department of Fire & EMS is conscious to keep staff well-trained, especially when it comes to operating in cold weather conditions. Ferguson shared that all staff members receive refresher training annually on four-wheel-drive operations, as well as the safe use of snow chains. Before the first snow, chains are inventoried and maintained as well. Ambulances are also assigned snow shovels, buckets of kitty litter, and safety rope to assist with many transitions in and out of homes and businesses during snowy or icy conditions. Additionally, the department possesses a V-plow that is placed into service on a fleet manager’s vehicle to support operations during snow events. This plow truck not only assists with gaining access to emergency incidents, but also works to keep station parking lots clean and safe for apparatus and personnel coming in.
In terms of the biggest safety concerns for firefighters working in the freezing cold, Ferguson explained that they are often faced with concerns of freezing pumps or pipes on the fire trucks.
“For this reason, fire trucks are kept inside more often than the warmer months, and pump operators recirculate the tank water through the pump at incidents, even if there isn’t a need to flow water,” Ferguson said. “Additionally, emergency responders are just as susceptible to frost nip, frost bite, and hypothermia, so making sure that responders have the appropriate gear for their exposure to the conditions is important, too. For incidents where there will be long-term exposure or extreme conditions, additional resources to afford for warmth and rehabilitation are often times brought to the scene.”
When asked about common calls the department receives this time of year, Ferguson shared that the department sees “the bulk of house fires. This is the same season that flu or chimney fires peak due to the use of wood stoves starting in the fall. We typically try to run a media campaign for folks to have their flues checked as a reminder to have them inspected prior to lighting the first fire of the year. Additionally, fall and winter bring an uptick of flu and cold season with pneumonia and other respiratory conditions occurring more often during the cold months.”
Some of the notable fire safety concerns for the vulnerable population in Botetourt County includes the use of alternative heat sources
“For various reasons, some people use alternate heat sources which can inherently increase the risk of a potential fire,” Ferguson explained. “Portable heaters that are fueled by kerosene or propane can certainly create additional risks, such as being too close to combustible materials or, with the case of propane, carbon monoxide exposure. Additionally, when the power goes out, those using portable generators must ensure that the exhaust is aimed away from the home and not near any fresh air returns, due to the potential for carbon monoxide poisoning.”
To learn more about the Botetourt County Department of Fire & EMS and also how the community can prepare to reduce risk in the winter and any other time of year, visit www.botetourtva.gov/160/Fire-EMS.
