This week was a walk down memory lane for me especially when I woke up with couple inches of snow on the flat and still snowing.

Last year, driving back from Priest River in heavy snow fall, a lady flew passed me in a blaze of glory in a Cadillac Escalade. About a mile down the road she spun around in a 360-degree circle and off the road she went. When I stopped to check on her, she said “There was a moose in the road.” I said”Yes Ma’am, we have those here.”

Her vehicle was buried in a snow bank the county had just placed there with a snow plow. She didn’t have safety equipment in her vehicle, so I used mine. I called a tow truck at her request. When the truck arrived, we dug out her vehicle; she and her dented fender went to Sandpoint for accommodations.

I relay this experience because this lady broke just about every winter safety rule in the book and because of that she could have lost her life.

Winter is a beautiful time of the year; however, it can also be the most threatening time of the year if you don’t follow some simple safety rules. Please review the following:

Winter driving kit:

A well-stocked winter driving kit makes life a lot easier when you absolutely need it. Here is one example:

n Properly fitting tire chains.

n Bag of sand (Kitty litter works great).

n Snow shovel

n Ice scraper with a brush

n Jumper cables

n Warning devices such as flares

n Flash light with extra batteries

n Blanket

n Extra clothing

n First aid kit

n Emergency food and water. Food is a great thing to have if you’re sitting in a snow bank for several hours.

n Matches and a few candles. It is surprising how well they can warm up the interior of a car.

n Cell phone for emergency help.

How should you drive in winter weather?

n Buckle up before you start driving. When I found this lady she was in the passenger seat.

n Slow down. This lady passed me doing at least 65 mph instead of 30 mph. Your speed should be based on the conditions of the road, not the posted speed limit.

n Be alert. She saw the moose; however, too late to stop.

n Drive with your lights on so the person behind you can see your tail lights.

n Give yourself extra time to drive from one location to another.

n Lengthen your following distance, that way you don’t have to slam on your brakes; which will cause you to slide uncontrollably.

n Steer with smooth and precise movements. Changing lanes to fast or jerking your steering wheel can cause you to skid.

n If you are facing a white out (Extra heavy snow fall), pull off the road.

What to do if you get stuck or stranded in the snow:

n Don’t panic.

n Avoid over-exertion. Sweaty clothes next to the skin are not good insulators against the cold.

n Stay in the car if you can not shovel your car out of the snow.

n Stay in the car in blizzard conditions. Wait until it passed.

n Turn on your emergency flashers and set up your flares. A flag on your antenna helps tell others you need help.

n Run your car 10 minutes every hour to provide heat in the car. Your gas will last longer.

n Never let your gas tank get below a half of a tank before you fill up.

n Bundle up in a blanket. Snuggle up if there are two of you, both of you will stay warm by sharing body heat.

n Wear a hat - the head is a major source of heat loss from the body.

n Do not fall asleep. If there is more than one person in the car, take turns sleeping.

n Watch for traffic or rescuers.

In a closing note, I’ll share with you a rule that I try to follow, “Prior Planning Prevent Poor Performance.” If you think about it, you’ll see that it’s a good one. I hope you all enjoy our winter wonder land.

If you would like to share a cleaning idea or concept with the reading audience, call Ed at NWES (208-255-2266) or toll free at 1-877-311-NWES. E-mail them to [email protected]  or send them to Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church St., Sandpoint, ID 83864, Attn: What Would Ed do?  For more information about Ed’s company, check him out at NWESINC.COM.

Copy written by Edmond E. Madan, certified forensic, fire, flood, mold inspection and remediation/restoration contractor. Ed is the president of Northwest Environmental Services (NWES, Inc.)