Common snow sense

Published 12:00 am Thursday, December 21, 2000

There is common sense and there is common snow sense.

Thursday, December 21, 2000

There is common sense and there is common snow sense.

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Little things can mean a lot when a winter storm strikes.

The heavy snowfalls received in Austin over the last six days have created a multitude of problems.

Dangers as well.

A 64-year-old Grand Meadow man died Tuesday night while clearing snow.

According to Mower County Sheriff Barry J. Simonson, Matthew Pavilisich was found outside his garage door Tuesday night by his wife.

The man told his wife he was going to clear snow and went outside. When she looked outside a window and saw the snow thrower standing by itself, she became alarmed and went outside to look for her husband, according to the sheriff’s department report.

A Grand Meadow Ambulance Service crew was dispatched to the scene and a Mayo One air ambulance also was summoned, but paramedics and emergency medical technicians were unable to resuscitate the man.

The tentative cause of death was listed as an apparent heart attack, according to the report.

Thus, anyone with a health condition should exercise extreme caution when dealing with both cold weather and the exertion of clearing snow.

Austin Fire Chief Dan Wilson also asks residents to clear snow from fire hydrants in front of their residences.

Firefighters carry maps listing where hydrants are located in Austin neighborhoods. However, precious time can be lost in the event of a fire emergency if firefighters must search through deep snow to find a hydrant.

Another piece of common snow sense is to shave the tops of snow piles at the end of driveways so vision is not obscured.

Parents should also prohibit their children from playing atop snow piles at intersections and along boulevards.