MENASHA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – As another possible storm moves into Northeast Wisconsin, people across the area are still dealing with the effects of last week’s weather.
The storm left a blanket of ice in many communities and many are still digging their way from under that ice.
Another ice storm in the forecast has led to busy days at the Menasha Kitz & Pfeil.
“People tend to panic,” said assistant manager Mike Straw.
Straw tells WLUK that panic has then led to nearly record sales of ice melt products.
“Probably at the highest that they’ve been since I’ve been here,
A few pallets of ice melt product are all this Kitz & Pfeil location has left from a semi truck full.
“There are a lot of stores that are out right now. We’ve been fortunate in that we’ve planned ahead”
The only products the store has left are rock salt and calcium chloride. Both of which come with cons. Neither is pet friendly and rock salt is very rough on concrete, for example.
No matter how difficult, however, Fond du Lac Fire Chief Peter O’Leary says it’s important you get rid of ice on your walk ways. Whether that’s ice from last week, or ice that develops later.
“We’ve had an incredible amount of falls, slips and falls. We’ve had serious injuries”
According to O’Leary some people have broken bones because of slips.
“We still have a lot of winter left. So I think people need to be resourceful”
There are other products you can try besides the traditional ice melts like sand, water softener salt or even beet juice.
And Straw said you can put a little ice melt down before the next round of weather. He advised letting it do it’s work and then doing yours.
“Remove the ice after it’s done its job so that it doesn’t refreeze”
The best advice of all may be getting at the snow and ice right away, before it becomes even harder to remove.
Straw recommends using sand if you have pets or new concrete. He said that will be the most gentle on paws and cause the least damage to the concrete.
