The weather has started to get us excited that maybe, just maybe spring could be upon us.
Puddles, potholes, and ice, lots of ice, have been creating trouble on our commutes for the last few days. The sidewalk may be your best friend now as we all need to keep our sidewalks free of ice. Is this melting going to stay or just tease us for a potential early spring? Your guess is as good as mine, but spring does officially arrive March 20, so we best get ready.
Should you expect flooding in your local area? Now is the time, even in the city, to take a stroll around the property and check.
Is the water draining away from the foundation of your home? Are the drainpipes attached at your house? With all the winter snow, it’s time to move some. Consider making sure you try to get the bulk of it at least 6 feet away from the house.
Those living in the rural areas potential maybe seeing poor road conditions or potential for flooding. What’s the plan if your regular route home is blocked? Do you have a secondary route?
Now is the time to start thinking about planning for possibility of flooding in your area. For those living in the rural areas, paramedics and other emergency services rely on your directions how to get quickly and safely to the scene of the emergency. Make sure your instructions include that alternative route.
Having said that, we encourage those in the rural area to take a piece of paper and write down directions showing how to get to your home from the nearest major road. You always think that it will be you or your spouse calling for help but what if the kids came home from school to find mom at the bottom of the stairs as she tripped with the laundry basket. If the kids had to call for help do, they know the directions?
What if it was the neighbor needing to place the call. Plan now; write down your name, the telephone number, legal land location of the house and directions of how to get to the house using fixed measurements and visible fixed landmarks. Help is on the way but only if they know how to get there. Remember you may not be the one to place the call for that help.
Thinking about spring is a reminder to consider that your favourite lake you fished on this winter or snowmobiled across might be getting thin in places. Smaller dugouts, ponds or creeks might be displaying thin rotten grey or “dirty” ice conditions. Stay away from these ice conditions as falling into icy cold water is extremely dangerous and you may not survive. As we start to experience more melting conditions, snow piles or snow forts are areas our kids need to be told to avoid.
Spring brings about a chance to start spring cleaning. Opening the shed to get at the garden tools or other storage buildings where besides the boat and tools, a few rodents might have been spending their winter. Give closed in spaces a chance to air out before you venture in. Your clean-up might need to include cleaning up animal droppings. Take proper precautions to prevent any illnesses.
Melting snow might reveal trash or unexpected sharp objects like needles. A good pair of leather work gloves, pliers, and a puncture proof container, can easily help you handle safe pickup. You can book a first aid class with us either as a certified course or just to learn the basics in a noncertified community presentation. Be Safe!!
