Glenn was forced to close his Dallas offices on Friday and Monday because of the ice storm that rocked much of the country late last week. While Glenn admitted he was totally ill prepared for the storm (he didn’t even own a shovel!), a new report from the Snow & Ice Management Association might just take preparedness to a whole new extreme.
“I just want to share something. And… this is not a parody,” Glenn said on radio this morning. “Tips for safe walking in snow and ice from the Snow and Ice Management Association… Every winter the hazards of driving in snow and icy conditions are noted, but rarely is walking in the snow noted. So the Snow and Ice Management Association has come out with their tips about walking in the snow.”
“Yeah, because it's pretty confusing,” Pat joked. “What do you do? What do you do?”
Glenn, Pat, and Stu had a little fun going through the recommendations from the Snow & Ice Management Association – a nonprofit representing the snow removal industry – on how to safely walk through snowy or icy conditions.
Wear proper footwear. Wear shoes with heavy treading and a flat bottom that place the entire foot on the surface of the ground.
Wear things that help you see and be seen. Wear sunglasses so you can see. Also, bright and reflect clothing help you be seen by drivers.
Plan ahead. Walk consciously on icy sidewalks and parking lots. Look up to see where the next icy spots are and be aware of any vehicles near you.
Listen. Avoid listening to music or talking on the phone while walking in icy or snowy conditions. Pedestrians need to be able to hear approaching traffic or other noises.
Anticipate ice. What appears to be wet pavement may be black ice, so approach it with caution. Ice will often appear in the mornings, so be more aware in the early hours.
Take steps slowly. When walking down steps, take them slowly and deliberately. Plant your feet securely on each step and be sure to have a firm grip on the handrail.
Enter buildings slowly. The floors of buildings may be covered in melted snow and ice, so check the entrance and try to step on any rugs in the doorways.
Avoid shortcuts. A shortcut path may be dangerous because it is less likely that snow and ice removal occurred.
Look up. Be aware of what you're walking under. Falling snow and ice can cause injuries.
“You'll never guess number 10 because I think they've told us like three times not to do this,” Glenn said. “But number 10 is: Look up.”
“Wait, what,” Stu asked skeptically.
“They have been saying: Look at your feet. But they want to make sure that if you are looking down; they also throw in there to look up occasionally too,” Glenn explained. “Don't just look down.”
Stu still couldn’t understand why he is supposed to look up, when he is supposed to be looking down to see the ice on the ground.
“Well, you want to be careful about what you're walking under,” Glenn continued. “Because, I didn't know this: Injuries can also result from falling snow and ice.”
“So you can look up and the icicle can fall directly into your eyeball,” Stu quipped.
“Following these tips will ensure that you survive the snow and ice season safely. For more tips, for even more tips, go to the Snow and Ice Management Association website,” Glenn concluded. “Thank you so much for sending this to me, Snow and Ice Management Association, who I didn't know you existed, and strangely, now I'm questioning why you do. But I'm glad you will exist to help us through these troubled, troubled times of snow and ice… Things you didn't learn from Mom and Dad.”
Front page image courtesy of the AP