Winter Safety 2006

1
Winter Safety 2006

• The leading cause of death during winter storms
  is transportation accidents. Preparing your
  vehicle for the winter season and knowing how to
  react if stranded or lost on the road are the
  keys to safe winter driving.
• Indiana State Police Road Weather Information
• 800-552-8917 Lowell District
• 800-421-4912 Toll Road District
• 800-382-7537 Lafayette District
• www.in.gov/isp/roadinfo/weather.html

2
PNC Snow Emergencies

• Heavy Snowfall - Purdue University North Central
  makes every attempt to remain open during the
  snowy winter months. However, from time to time
  it may be necessary to close the University due
  to adverse weather conditions.
• If it is necessary to close, the decision will be
  based on the following
• If access to the campus via the main state roads
  is severely limited.
• If the parking lots at the campus cannot be
  adequately cleared and maintained.
• In cases of overnight snowfall or threat of heavy
  snow, the decision to close the campus or keep it
  open is made at approximately 5 a.m. You have
  three options for finding out whether or not
  campus will be open
• 1. Telephone - Call the campus on any of the
  published numbers [phone], 462-4197,
  872-0527 or 1-800-872-1231 for the automatic
  switchboard attendant. That will give you the
  current closing information.
• 2. Radio - The area radio stations listed below
  will be notified by 6 a.m. if the campus is to be
  closed that day. If you do not hear that PNC is
  closed when the stations make their early morning
  announcements, you can assume that the campus
  will be open. The stations are asked to repeat
  the closing announcement during the day.

3
PNC Snow Emergencies

• Chesterton WDSO - 88.3 FM
• Knox WKVI - 1520 AM, 99.3 FM
• LaPorte WCOE - 96.7 FM, WLOI - 1540 AM
• Michigan City WEFM - 95.9, WIMS 1420 AM
• South Bend WSBT - 960 AM, SUNNY 101.5 FM
• Valparaiso WLJE - 1500 AM, 105.5 FM
• 3. On the web - Purdue North Central school
  closings will be posted directly on the web
  through cancellations.com. Visit
  www.cancellations.com put in the PNC zip code
  (46391), click the 'find posting' button, and
  then click the 'view all' button.

4
Before a Storm

• Have a mechanic check the following items on your
  car.
• Battery
• Antifreeze
• Wipers and windshield washer fluid
• Ignition system
• Thermostat
• Lights
• Flashing hazard lights
• Exhaust system
• Heater
• Brakes
• Defroster
• Oil level (if necessary, replace existing oil
  with a winter grade oil or the SAE 5w/30 weight
  variety)

5
Install good winter tires.

• Make sure the tires have adequate tread.
  All-weather radials are usually adequate for most
  winter conditions. However, some jurisdictions
  require that to drive on their roads, vehicles
  must be equipped with chains or snow tires with
  studs.
• A good rule of thumb is if you put a penny upside
  down in the tread of your tire and you can see
  Lincolns head then you may need new tires.

6
Other tips.

• Keep a windshield scraper and small broom for
  handy ice and snow removal.
• Keep at least a half tank of gas during the
  winter season.
• Plan long trips carefully. Listen to the radio or
  call the state highway patrol for the latest road
  conditions. Always travel during daylight and, if
  possible, take at least one other person.
• Use alternate transportation. If you must go out
  during a winter storm, use public transportation
  whenever possible.
• Dress warmly. Wear layers of loose-fitting,
  layered, lightweight clothing.
• Carry food and water. Store a supply of high
  energy "munchies" and several bottles of water.
  (Allow for expansion in container if water might
  freeze.)
• Contact your local emergency management office,
  American Automobile Association (AAA) or American
  Red Cross chapter for more information on winter
  driving.

7
Winter Driving Techniques

• Be aware that ramps, bridges and overpasses may
  occasionally freeze first.
• Be aware of black ice (roads that look wet but
  are actually glazed with ice.)
• Know how your anti-lock brakes work in slippery
  conditions.
• Remember not to pump your brakes if they are
  anti-lock brakes.

8
Cont..

• Drive well below the posted speed limit and avoid
  the use of cruise control when snow, ice,
  freezing rain or sleet is on the pavement. The
  posted speed limits are intended for normal
  pavement conditions.
• Dont drive through white out conditions.
• Stay a safe distance behind other vehicles,
  especially snowplows.
• Never try to pass a snow plow.
• Turn on your lights to see and be seen. Brush
  the snow off your head lights and tail lights
  frequently.
• Buckle up!

9
Skids

• Rear-wheel skids
• The most effective way to get your vehicle back
  under control during a skid is as follows
• Take your foot off the brake or accelerator.
• De-clutch on a car with a manual transmission, or
  shift to neutral on a car with automatic
  transmission.
• Look and steer in the direction you want the
  front of the car to go.
• As the rear wheels stop skidding to the right or
  left, counter-steer until you are going in the
  desired direction.
• In a rear-wheel drive vehicle, if you
  over-correct the first skid (Step 4), be prepared
  for a rear-wheel skid in the opposite direction.
   Practice and the use of timely, gentle movement
  of the steering wheel are necessary to avoid this
  type of skid.
• Once the vehicle is straight, release the clutch
  or shift to drive, apply gentle accelerator
  pressure so that the engine speed matches the
  road speed, and accelerate smoothly to a safe
  speed.
•  

10
Skids

• Front-wheel skids
• Front-wheel skids are caused by hard braking or
  acceleration if your vehicle has front-wheel
  drive. When the front wheels lose traction, you
  will not be able to steer the vehicle.
   Regardless of whether the vehicle has front-,
  rear- or four-wheel drive, the best way to regain
  control if the front wheels skid is
• Take your foot off the brake or accelerator.
• De-clutch on a car with manual transmission, or
  shift to neutral on a car with automatic
  transmission.
• If the front wheels have been turned prior to the
  loss of traction, don't move the steering wheel.
   Since the wheels are skidding sideways, a
  certain amount of braking force will be exerted.
  (Unwinding the steering wheel will result in
  regaining steering sooner however, the vehicle
  will be traveling faster because there is little
  sideways braking force.  This technique should
  only be attempted in situations where limited
  space and sharp curves exist -- however, in this
  case do not reduce pressure on the brakes,
  because the vehicle will shoot off in the
  direction the wheels are facing.)
• Wait for the front wheels to grip the road again.
   As soon as traction returns, the vehicle will
  start to steer again.
• When the front wheels have regained their grip,
  steer the wheels gently in the desired direction
  of travel.
• Release the clutch or shift to drive and apply
  gentle accelerator pressure so that the engine
  speed matches the road speed, and accelerate
  smoothly to a safe speed.
• There is no risk at all of the car skidding in
  the opposite direction

11
Skids

• Four-wheel skids
• Sometimes all four wheels lose traction.  This
  generally occurs when the vehicle is driven at a
  speed too fast for conditions.  The most
  effective way to get your vehicle back under
  control when all four wheels skid is
• Ease foot off the accelerator or take your foot
  off the brake.
• De-clutch on a car with manual transmission or
  shift to neutral on a car with an automatic
  transmission, if you can do so quickly.
• Look and steer in the direction you want the
  front of the car to go.
• Wait for the wheels to grip the road again.  As
  soon as traction returns, the vehicle will travel
  in the desired direction.
• Release the clutch or shift to drive and maintain
  a safe speed.
• NOTE Avoid using overdrive on slippery surfaces.

12
Braking

• Braking
• To survive on the road in winter, proper braking
  is essential.
• Stopping on slippery surfaces means motorists
  must increase sight lines, following and stopping
  distances.
• Beware of shaded spots, bridges, overpasses and
  intersections.  These are areas where ice is
  likely to form first or be the most slippery.
• Braking if you don't have anti-lock brakes
• If you don't have anti-lock brakes, the most
  efficient technique for braking under these
  conditions is to use threshold braking together
  with de-clutching (manual shift) or shifting to
  neutral (automatic transmission). The best way to
  threshold brake (to make a controlled stop) is
  the heel-and-toe method.  Keep the heel of your
  foot on the floor and use your toes to apply
  firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal just
  short of lockup to the point at which the wheels
  stop turning.
• Under the stress of trying to stop quickly,
  drivers almost inevitably overreact and lock the
  wheels. If this happens, use toe-and-heel action
  to release brake pressure one or two degrees,
  then immediately reapply it with slightly less
  pressure.
• Braking with anti-lock brakes
• According to a survey conducted by the CAA/AAA
  Foundation for Traffic Safety, 50 of people are
  unaware of how anti-lock brakes and traditional
  brakes differ.  If you have an anti-lock brake
  system (ABS), use the heel-and-toe method, but do
  not remove your foot from the brake.  When you
  put on the brakes hard enough to make the wheels
  lock momentarily, you will typically feel the
  brake pedal pulse back against your foot. Don't
  let up!
• (Novice ABS users can try hard braking in a
  vacant snow-covered parking lot.)
• How ABS works
• A sensor located at each wheel detects when the
  wheel stops turning and starts to skid. As soon
  as the skid is detected, the anti-lock system
  relieves the pressure just enough to allow the
  wheel to turn again.  This allows you to steer
  while you continue to bring the vehicle to a stop.

13
Jump starting

• Position vehicles so that the batteries are
  close, but dont let the vehicles touch. Make
  sure both vehicles are turned off.
• Connect one end of the RED jump lead to the
  positive terminal of the dead battery. Dont let
  the other end of the red lead touch any metal.
• Connect the other end of the RED lead to the
  positive terminal of the boosting battery.
• Connect one end of the Black jump lead to the
  negative terminal of the boosting battery.
• Connect the other end of the Black lead to a bolt
  or metal bracket, well away from the battery on
  the engine block of the vehicle that is dead.
• Ensure that the jump leads cant come into
  contact with any moving parts. Start the engine
  of the boosting vehicle and run it at a fast
  idle. Now Start the engine of the dead vehicle.
• Stop the engine of the boosting vehicle ONLY, and
  then disconnect the jump leads in the reverse
  order of connection.

14
If You Are Trapped in Your Car During a Storm

• Stay in the car. Do not leave the car to search
  for assistance unless help is visible within 100
  yards. You may become disoriented and lost in
  blowing and drifting snow.
• Display a trouble sign. Hang a brightly colored
  cloth on the radio antenna and raise the hood if
  weather permits.
• Occasionally run engine to keep warm. Turn on the
  car's engine for about 10 minutes each hour. Run
  the heater when the car is running. Also, turn on
  the car's dome light when the car is running.
• Beware of carbon monoxide poisoning. Keep the
  exhaust pipe clear of snow, and open a downwind
  window slightly for ventilation.
• Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia.
  Frostbite is a severe reaction to cold exposure
  that can permanently damage its victims. A loss
  of feeling and a white or pale appearance in
  fingers, toes, or nose and ear lobes are symptoms
  of frostbite.

15

• Hypothermia is a condition brought on when the
  body temperature drops to less than 90 degrees
  Fahrenheit. Symptoms of hypothermia include
  uncontrollable shivering, slow speech, memory
  lapses, frequent stumbling, drowsiness, and
  exhaustion.
• If you think someone has frostbite or
  hypothermia, begin warming the person slowly and
  seek medical help. Warm the person's trunk first.
  Use your own body heat to help. Arms and legs
  should be warmed last because stimulation of the
  limbs can drive cold blood toward the heart and
  lead to heart failure. Put person in dry clothing
  and wrap their entire body in a blanket.
• Never give a frostbite or hypothermia victim
  something with caffeine in it (like coffee or
  tea) or alcohol. Caffeine, a stimulant, can cause
  the heart to beat faster and hasten the effects
  the cold has on the body. Alcohol, a depressant,
  can slow the heart and also hasten the ill
  effects of cold body temperatures.

16

• Do minor exercises to keep up circulation. Clap
  hands and move arms and legs occasionally. Try
  not to stay in one position for too long. If more
  than one person is in the car, take turns
  sleeping and huddle together. Use newspapers,
  maps, and even the removable car mats for added
  insulation.
• Avoid overexertion. Cold weather puts an added
  strain on the heart. Unaccustomed exercise such
  as shoveling snow or a car can bring on a heart
  attack or make other medical conditions worse. Be
  aware of symptoms of dehydration
• Wind Chill is a calculation of how cold it
  feels outside when the effects of temperature and
  wind speed are combined. A strong wind combined
  with a temperature of just below freezing can
  have the same effect as a still air temperature
  about 35 degrees colder.

17
Winter Car Kit

• Keep these items in your car
• Flashlights with extra batteries
• First aid kit with pocket knife
• Necessary medications
• Several blankets
• Sleeping bags
• Extra newspapers for insulation
• Plastic bags (for sanitation)
• Matches or lighter
• Extra set of mittens, socks, and a wool cap
• Cell phone
• How to create an Emergency Kit for Your Car
• http//tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/8810_yltAspfDaE
  t7tlibX3HazqtWuwrLpA5

18

• Rain gear and extra clothes
• Small sack of sand for generating traction under
  wheels
• Small shovel
• Small tools (pliers, wrench, screwdriver)
• Booster cables
• Set of tire chains or traction mats
• Cards, games, and puzzles
• Brightly colored cloth to use as a flag
• Canned fruit and nuts (Allow for freezing)
• Non-electric can opener
• Bottled water (Allow for freezing)

19
Coffee can survival kit for winter driving

• You easily can equip your vehicle with essential
  survival gear for winter. Here's what you'll
  need
• A 2 or 3 pound coffee can (punch 3 holes at the
  top of can, equal distance apart). You'll be
  storing the other items inside the can.
• 60-inch length of twine or heavy string (cut into
  3 equal pieces - used to suspend can).
• 3 large safety pins (tie string to safety pins
  and pin to car roof interior to suspend can over
  candle).
• 1 candle 2" diameter (place on lid under
  suspended can for melting snow).
• 1 pocket knife, reasonably sharp (or substitute
  with scissors).
• 3 pieces of bright cloth 2" wide x 36" long (tie
  to antenna or door handle).
• Several packets of soup, hot chocolate, tea,
  bouillon cubes, etc. (mixed into melted snow to
  provide warmth and nutrition).
• Plastic spoon.
• 1 small package of peanuts (provides protein)
  fruit-flavored candy (orange slices, jelly beans,
  etc.-avoid chocolate).
• 1 pair of athletic socks (cotton) and 1 pair of
  glove liners (cotton).
• 2 packages of book matches.
• 1 sun shield blanket or 2 large green or black
  plastic leaf bags (to reflect body heat).
• 1 pen light and batteries (keep separate).
• Two quarters and two dimes for telephone calls.

20
Winter Safety At Home

• Fireplace/Wood Stove Safety
• Heating fires account for 36 of residential home
  fires in rural areas every year.
• 1. Be sure to thoroughly clean your fireplace or
  wood stove before you beginning burning wood in
  it.
• 2. Creosote is the number cause for chimney and
  wood stove fires.
• 3. Make sure the damper is open.
• 4. Use only seasoned hardwood. Soft, moist wood
  accelerates creosote buildup.
• 5. Never burn cardboard boxes, trash or debris in
  your fireplace or wood stove. .
• 6. Never leave a fire unattended and make sure
  it is completely out before you go to sleep.
• Space Heater Safety
• 1. Never place them near combustibles.
• 2. Shut them off when they are not needed or
  when you are not around.
• 3. Never place anything on them.
• 4. Plug them into to a secure outlet.
• 5. Never run a heaters cord or any other cord
  under carpet or a rug.

21
Winter Safety At Home

• Shoveling snow
• Research has shown an increase in the number of
  fatal heart attacks among snow shovelers after
  heavy snowfalls. This rise may be due to the
  sudden demand that shoveling places on an
  individual's heart. Snow shoveling may cause a
  quick increase in heart rate and blood pressure.
  One study determined that after only two minutes
  of shoveling, sedentary mens' heart rates rose to
  levels higher than those normally recommended
  during aerobic exercise.
• Shoveling may be vigorous activity even for
  healthy college-aged students. Shoveling can be
  made more difficult by the weather. Cold air
  makes it harder to work and breathe, which adds
  some extra strain on the body.

22
Shoveling snow

• Those most at risk for a heart attack include
• Anyone who has already had a heart attack.
• Individuals with a history of heart disease.
• Those with high blood pressure or high
  cholesterol levels.
• Smokers.
• Individuals leading a sedentary lifestyle
• Not everyone who shovels snow is going to have a
  heart attack. Snow shoveling can be good exercise
  when performed correctly and with safety in mind.
  

23
Shoveling snow

• Be heart healthy and back friendly while
  shoveling this winter with these tips
• If you are inactive and have a history of heart
  trouble, talk to your doctor before you take on
  the task of shoveling snow.
• Avoid caffeine or nicotine before beginning.
• Drink plenty of water. Dehydration is just as
  important in cold winter months as it is in the
  summer.
• Dress in several layers so you can remove a layer
  as needed.
• Warm up your muscles before shoveling, by walking
  for a few minutes or marching in place. Stretch
  the muscles in your arms and legs, because warm
  muscles will work more efficiently and be less
  likely to be injured.
• Pick the right shovel for you. A smaller blade
  will require you to lift less snow, putting less
  strain on your body.
• Begin shoveling slowly to avoid placing a sudden
  demand on your heart. Pace yourself and take
  breaks as needed.
• Protect your back from injury by lifting
  correctly.
• Stand with your feet about hip width for balance
  and keep the shovel close to your body. Bend from
  the knees (not the back) and tighten your stomach
  muscles as you lift the snow. Avoid twisting
  movements. If you need to move the snow to one
  side reposition your feet to face the direction
  the snow will be going.
• Most importantly listen to your body. Stop if
  you feel pain!

24
PNC Police Officer Mike Wheeler

• Emergency Kits found in the University vehicles.