TWIN FALLS, Idaho — After a week of successive snow storms, high winds, and sub-zero temperatures, first responders in the Magic Valley say they've been able to push through the drifts to get where they're needed.
- Magic Valley Paramedics will often avoid using lights and sirens during snowstorms. They do this to avoid putting motorists in a position where moving over for emergency vehicles might put them in a drift or other create other dangers.
- As a result of not using lights and sirens, the paramedics travel at the speed of traffic, which likely has slowed response times.
- Twin Falls Fire Department has seen similar slowdowns. Although they have seen slower traffic in the wintry conditions, resulting in fewer injury accidents.
- Things people can do to aid emergency responders include making sure their home address markers are clear and visible, avoid using space heaters for extended periods and only when plugged into a wall outlet, and unplug them when not in use. Fire department also urges residents to make sure their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are working and have fresh batteries.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Flint: "This has been a busy January.”
Stan Flint has been an emergency responder for 25 years, and [he] says after a week of winter storms closing roads, it's nice to see Magic Valley paramedics able to get to where they need to be
"We've had two situations this year, where an ambulance has gotten stuck as both on the same day, both in Jerome county, and they were both fine responding to a call," said Flint.
The paramedics respond to emergency calls 24-7 in Jerome and Twin Falls counties, but with recent winter weather, they've had to make adjustments.
Flint added, "If we're running lights and sirens and snow people expect that they should be pulling over while we're gonna cause problems if I do that."
So, no flashing lights or sirens.
Instead, ambulances will often flow with traffic.
"The Twin falls we average about seven minutes and 30 seconds from the time is called till the time we're on location," Flint said.
I asked Flint, "do you have a suspicion that it's gone up?”
"Oh yeah definitely have a suspicion," Flint replied.
Deputy Fire Chief Mitchell Brooks told Idaho News 6, "we're not used to getting this much at once."
That's Deputy Fire Chief Mitchell Brooks. He said that, while main roads in Twin Falls are in pretty good shape, it's a different story in subdivisions and neighborhoods, where streets don't get plowed.
"It certainly hinders our travel slows our response times down quite a bit. More access in the buildings and subdivisions goes down drastically when conditions are like this," said Brooks.
The best way to help emergency responders is to make sure your address numbers are visible, unplug space heaters when not in use and only plug them into wall outlets. Brooks also urged residents to check the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
“We haven't really been terribly busy there have been several calls, but so far we've been able to get all of them," said Brooks.
