PHOTO: Courtesy of WLUK
DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK)— As winter storms are anticipated to bring several inches of snow this weekend, many residents plan to stay indoors to avoid hazardous road conditions. However, for first responders, staying off the roads is not an option.
Brett Jansen, Battalion Chief at De Pere Fire and Rescue, said, “Heavy snow will impact our response due to the roads being slippery, us having to get through the snow. It’s sometimes difficult for us to get through the snow, so it will delay our response a little bit, but we do every avenue to not have it be a huge delay.”
When heavy snow makes roads impassable, especially in residential areas, emergency vehicles can get stuck like any other car. Jansen explained, “We actually have multiple ambulances in the city, so we’ll call another one over while we work on getting the other one out. It’s been a couple years ’cause we now transition to 4-wheel drive ambulances to help prevent that.”
To keep emergency crews moving during snowstorms, De Pere’s street superintendent collaborates closely with first responders to prioritize plowing. Tony Fietzer, City of De Pere Street Superintendent, said, “We do have a great working relationship with our police and fire departments to the point where you know we, we have each other’s numbers, we can call and if they need something or if we need something, we just, we reach out to each other.”
This coordination helps ensure that even in heavy snow, first responders can reach those in need as safely and quickly as possible. Fietzer added, “So given any circumstance, we should be able to get you into a neighborhood or out of a neighborhood within a few blocks to get you to a plowed and salted street.”
Road conditions are not the only challenge first responders face. Jansen noted, “One is dealing with all the snow, the wind, the access to into a house or a building if the sidewalks aren’t shoveled, the driveways aren’t. That can all limit access and make it difficult for us to get to the patient and get the patient out to the ambulance.”
One of the most common types of emergency calls during a snowstorm are car accidents, requiring quick responses from first responders. Jansen advised, “If you don’t have to go out and drive around, stay at home. When you are out or you have to go, drive slow, watch out for plows and emergency vehicles if you see them. We have big vehicles and sometimes, that snow builds up and we just need access.”
First responders will be out in full force, ready to handle whatever the storm brings. It’s crucial to make your address visible from the street and provide clear access details, especially if a pathway needs to be shoveled to ensure they can reach you quickly if necessary.
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