Driving, home prep urged as temps drop
The front wheel of a Nissan car was badly damaged Monday afternoon after its driver allegedly tried making a right hand turn and hit the curb. No other vehicles were involved and no one was injured. The incident occurred on Fifth Avenue and Beech Street in Moses Lake.
MOSES LAKE — With the first snowfall in Grant County this weekend, transportation authorities are advising drivers to prepare for winter driving.
They are asking drivers pack 10 essential items before they hit the road.
Some of those items include:
• A cellphone and charger for making emergency calls
• Tire chains
• A first aid kit
• Jumper cables
• Sand, cat litter or traction mats and a small shovel
• Flashlight with fresh batteries
• Non-perishable food and water
• Warm clothing, including hats, gloves and blankets
• Try to keep at least a half tank of fuel in the car to avoid the chance of fuel-line freeze up
Washington State Patrol reported several ice-related incidents throughout the region over the weekend.
A Moses Lake woman heading northbound on state Route 17, near Moses Lake, Sunday evening rolled her SUV several times after slipping on a patch of ice on the roadway. She was transported to the hospital for reported head and arm injuries, according to state patrol.
On Interstate 90, a 17-year-old male driver heading westbound near the Evergreen area in Spokane County, landed in an embankment off of the highway after losing traction from compact snow and ice Sunday morning, according to state patrol.
State patrol said in both incidents, drivers were traveling too fast for icy conditions.
The state Department of Transportation is asking drivers to delay travel until Tuesday or Wednesday, if at all possible.
DOT crews are out clearing the snow, but increased traffic makes snow plowing difficult, according to the DOT.
Homeowners need to be prepared for inclement weather as well.
Grant County Emergency Management wants to remind citizens to update their emergency preparedness kits and plans.
“Grant County has a history of heavy snow storms and winter weather that has caused power outages and other damage,” stated Kyle Foreman, Grant County Emergency Management Public Information Officer.
Some tips for homeowners include:
• Reviewing disaster plans with household members
• Replenishing non-perishable foods and having enough water for at least one gallon of water per person per day. The emergency food supply should last each household member for at least three days.
• Invest in a battery-operated or hand-cranked radio
• Have the house gutters cleaned before snow and ice clog it
Foreman stated any heaters, furnaces and fireplace should be checked and serviced before using.
Homeowners should be well aware of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from fuel-powered appliances, he said.
Portable generators are often guilty of emitting carbon monoxide gas, he said.
In 2007, three Royal City children died and two adults were sick due to carbon monoxide poisoning from using a generator inside the home, according to Foreman.
To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, Foreman suggests the following tips:
• Never use gasoline-powered equipment indoors
• Never use a gas oven to heat your home
• Never idle a car in a garage, even if the garage door is open
• Never sleep in a room with closed windows while using a gas or kerosene heater.