Safety office offers advice for winter conditions

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Dillon White
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs Office
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Montana weather may come as a shock for those who have not experienced it, but the 341st Missile Wing Safety Office has advice and sources of information that can help people prepare. 

This winter, Airmen and their families may drive several hours to hit the slopes or walk down the sidewalk to go to work. Whatever the distance or reason for venturing outdoors, they need to prepare themselves and their vehicles for the trip. 

Keeping boots on ground:
To avoid falls while walking, several precautions can be taken, said Airman 1st Class Matthew Splichal, 341st Safety Office, ground safety apprentice. 

"I did a lot of mishap reports on falls last winter," Airman Splichal said. "Falls happen indoors and outdoors. People track snow into a building and it turns to water that makes the floor slippery, especially in the dormitory stairwells." 

To lessen the risk of falling, people can buy traction-enhancing boot covers that act like tire chains. People should also salt and shovel pathways, Airman Splichal said. 

"[The boot covers] paid for themselves the first month I had them, and my boots have very little tread left on them, he said. "Without the additional traction I would have fallen a lot." 

After preparing a person's boots for the snow and ice, it is time to prepare their vehicle with a survival kit and a competent driver. 

Survival kit construction:
Survival kits are required in government vehicles posting to the missile field with the contents varying from squadron to squadron. The safety office staff recommends everyone should have one in their personally owned vehicle as well. 

The safety office can provide labels for survival kits which fit inside a three pound coffee can. The contents of the kit fit inside the can. 

Contents of a survival kit include: 
A three pound coffee can with small holes near the top for hanging it;
Matches;
A heat source such as a candle or military trioxane fuel bar for heating;
Montana's Take-Along Winter Survival Handbook;
Flashlight;
Bathroom tissue;
Multi-purpose tool;
Coffee, bouillon, hot chocolate;
Spoons;
High energy food such as nuts, candy and jerky;
Pad and pencil;
Whistle;
A deck of cards for entertainment;
550 survival cord;
A red flag to affix to the vehicle's antenna to signal the need for help; and a
first-aid kit. 

Other items that should be kept in a vehicle during the winter months include:
A gallon of water with room for expansion in case of freezing (for coffee, buillon or hot chocolate;
A waterproof bag of gravel to provide traction to drive wheels;
Warm clothes to include gloves and hats;
and survival blankets or sleeping bags.
Using the survival kit: 

The possibility of being stranded in a vehicle overnight is a reality despite the availability of a cellular phone or radio, said Kelly Nathe, 341st MW traffic safety manager. If motorists become stranded in a vehicle, they can increase their chances of survival by packing the proper gear and staying in their vehicle." 

There are spots on Montana highways that do not have cellular phone coverage and if the highway patrol closes the highway due to snow, can be stuck overnight or perhaps longer," he said. 

In the event a vehicle becomes stranded, the driver should run the engine periodically with the windows rolled down slightly for ventilation, Mr. Nathe said. 

The safety office staff has created several versions of the survival kit, and has experimented with them to ensure they work. Items in the kit also serve more than one purpose, Mr. Nathe said. The coffee can, for example, is used to store the kit, and is used to heat water by hanging it with the 550 survival cord. The can will require holes to be drilled in it near the top to accomplish this. 

The safety office can provide labels for survival kits, and advice on how to use the kit. 

Know the weather: 
Temperatures can change drastically in the Great Falls area with snow falling as early as June and as late as April. 

"Skies can be clear with temperatures in the '60s and '80s and the next day the weather can do a 'one-eighty' with snow, cold rain and temperatures at freezing and below," Staff Sgt. Brain Henry, 341st Operations Support Squadron weather forecaster said. 

White-outs also occur, limiting visibility from one mile to "literally right in front of your face," Sergeant Henry said. This also renders the horizon and sky visually discernable from one-another. White-outs are caused by fine snow and a thin overcast layer, where the entire sky is covered in clouds with the sun still visible. 

"We have blizzard conditions three to four times a year with an average annual snow fall of 30 inches and a high of 62 inches on freak occasions," he said. 

Winds in the local area regularly vary between 12 to 29 mph, with a maximum recorded wind speed of 86 mph, Sergeant Henry said. 

Practice cold-weather driving:
After packing warm clothes and a survival kit in the vehicle, it is equally important to become aware of how a vehicle responds in winter driving conditions, Airman Splichal said. 

"Take your car out to a large empty parking lot, and get a handle on it. See how far it takes to stop from 15 mph, and what it handles like," he said. "Also, have a plan and tell someone where you are going before you leave." 

Other pre-departure precautions include calling 511 for information on road conditions and checking traffic Web cams set up on highways in Montana. 

"There are Web cams set up across Montana highways, and there is one between here and Showdown Ski Resort for people going to ski," Mr. Nathe said. "Showdown also has a Web cam set up at the resort that you can see on their Web site." 

With proper preparation for, and knowledge of the hazards the winter months present, people can help their feet as well as their tires stay in control. 

For more information on the survival kit, call the safety office at 731- 7773. 

For travel information and to view traffic Web cams, go to www.mdt.state.mt.us/travinfo. 

For more information on traffic safety, go to www.nhtsa.dot.gov. 

For current weather conditions and five-day forecasts, go to www.noaa.gov/wx.html