(WTNH)–When snow falls across the state, roads get slippery, and many of us choose to stay inside. Police and other first responders don’t have that choice.
Cesar heads out onto the snow-covered road. It’s not easy driving in the winter weather, let alone in an ambulance, lights and sirens to an accident.
“We want to make sure we get there in the safest manner possible. Make sure we take our time, because if we get in an accident, or if we cause another accident, it just causes more havoc on a system that is already stressed,” said AMR Seth Roberts.Related Content: Wind chill makes for cold Saturday, snow showers later on
Every year, paramedics and EMTs must go through training to make sure they can handle the ambulance in the bad weather. And even if it’s as little as an inch of snow, it still makes driving treacherous. The ambulances are heavy, harder to stop, so they ask that you please pull over when you see them coming.
“Just take your time, slow down don’t do anything erratic, you know, over-aggressive moves to get out of the way, just go nice and easy over to the right-hand side,” Roberts said.
How can you help paramedics?
Shoveling your walkway could help save time, as tires on some of the emergency equipment aren’t meant for snow.
“We don’t want the patients out there doing it, but if you have family members or a neighbor or anybody that can get out there and help clean that walkway, so when we do get there we can get the stretcher through quickly,” Roberts said.