Emergency Officials Seeing Storm Cleanup Injuries, Hope To Prevent More

By John Voket

With a forecast promising a beautiful fall weekend, it is a sure bet that “weekend warriors,” many armed with dangerous power equipment, will likely head out to continue poststorm cleanup around yards and businesses throughout Newtown.

That prospect has prompted Director of Health Donna Culbert along with Deputy Emergency Management Director Maureen Will as well as Emergency Management Director (EMD) and Sandy Hook Fire Chief Bill Halstead to be guardedly concerned about keeping those doing the cleanup safe.

“It’s important work, it needs to get done, but it has potential hazards and we want folks to be careful,” Ms Culbert told The Bee this week.

Ms Culbert contacted Danbury Hospital and New Milford Hospital to inquire about any increase in the emergency departments’ intake due to storm cleanup activity. Matt Cassavechia, director of emergency medical services at Danbury Hospital, answered the call saying he appreciated the timeliness and relevance of the concern.

“We definitely saw an increase in falls from ladders, lacerations, and fractures over this past weekend’s cleanup activity,” Mr Cassavechia said. “We did have some cardiac emergencies during the storm due to the removal of heavy snow. Our biggest concern now with storm cleanup is falls, lacerations, eye and limb injuries” from the use of saws, sometimes on ladders, and chippers.

Emergency officials are also concerned about any work being done near power lines.

“People need to use proper protection,” Mr Cassavechia said.

Ron Stephens, Emergency Department nurse manager at New Milford Hospital, reported that he “hasn’t seen much of an increase at the ED due to storm cleanup activity, with the exception of eye injuries.”

What did surprise Mr Stephens was the number of tick bites he saw. He assumed since there had been a heavy snow fall, that tick activity would be minimal. But Ms Culbert explained that the snow event was preceded and followed by warm weather so ticks are still very active.

“If residents are in the yard, tromping through leaves and handling brush, they have an increased risk of being bitten by a tick,” Ms Culbert said.

Chief Halstead noted that the weekend forecast “looks beautiful and people will really be out there cleaning up their yards from the storm.”

The three local officials urge residents or those contracting cleanup or volunteering to help to use proper precautions and to take a good hard look at the task at hand.

“Some of the trees and limbs are damaged, bent and under tension or are precariously hanging,” Ms Culbert said. “In those situations, it may be difficult to predict how a tree or limb will fall, or how limbs under tension will release their energy. It may not be as simple as cutting down a tree.”

Ms Culbert said some jobs, especially those requiring chainsaw or power equipment use off the ground, may need to obtain professional help.

“We want our residents and business owners to get through the recovery of Alfred without injury,” she said.

Public Works Director Fred Hurley agreed, saying that local volunteers have been very effective dragging storm debris to the roadsides for pickup, or offering to cart debris either to the town landfill or elsewhere on affected properties. And there is nothing wrong with individuals experienced in the use of chainsaws or power cutting tools to help cut up debris on the ground.

“This is a beautiful example of neighbor helping neighbor,” Mr Hurley said. But at the same time, the public works chief also warned residents to reserve bringing only recent storm-related debris to the roadside, or they may find unqualified debris left behind by pickup crews.

“So far we’ve seen clapboards in front of a house with new siding, a mattress and a couch, so we had no choice but to leave it,” Mr Hurley said, adding that if the town hopes to get reimbursed for doing storm debris pickup, it has to pass Federal Emergency management Agency (FEMA) auditing standards.

“We just need the public to cooperate,” Mr Hurley said.

He also reminded residents to continue calling in “hangers,” or branches that may have been snapped and are hanging over roadways or public walks.

“We are logging all reports and we will stay on removing all the hangers,” Mr Hurley said, “even if it takes us all winter.”

 

OSHA Chain Saw Safety Tips

Operating a chain saw is inherently hazardous. Potential injuries can be minimized by using proper personal protective equipment and safe operating procedures.

Before starting a chain saw:

*Check controls, chain tension, and all bolts and handles to ensure that they are functioning properly and that they are adjusted according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

*Make sure that the chain is always sharp and the lubrication reservoir is full.

*Start the saw on the ground or on another firm support. Drop starting is never allowed.

*Start the saw at least ten feet from the fueling area, with the chain’s brake engaged.

*Use approved containers for transporting fuel to the saw.

*Dispense fuel at least ten feet away from any sources of ignition when performing construction activities. No smoking during fueling.

*Use a funnel or a flexible hose when pouring fuel into the saw.

*Never attempt to fuel a running or hot saw.

*Clear away dirt, debris, small tree limbs, and rocks from the saw’s chain path. Look for nails, spikes or other metal in the tree before cutting.

*Shut off the saw or engage its chain brake when carrying the saw on rough or uneven terrain.

*Keep your hands on the saw’s handles, and maintain secure footing while operating the saw.

*Proper personal protective equipment must be worn when operating the saw, which includes hand, foot, leg, eye, face, hearing, and head protection.

*Do not wear loose-fitting clothing.

*Be careful that the trunk or tree limbs will not bind against the saw.

*Watch for branches under tension; they may spring out when cut.

*Gasoline-powered chain saws must be equipped with a protective device that minimizes chain saw kickback.

*Be cautious of saw kick-back. To avoid kick-back, do not saw with the tip. If equipped, keep tip guard in place.