BERKS COUNTY, Pa. – As the snow starts to melt, the new concerns become black ice and possible falls.
“It’s not just necessarily the falls on the ice, it’s all the ailments that come with the winter weather, right? The cold temperatures. All of a sudden, Pennsylvania has turned into an arctic tundra,” said Brad Cosgrove, director in chief of EMS at TowerDIRECT, Tower Health’s nonprofit EMS agency.
The ice on the ground continues to pose a risk.
“There’s definitely been an increase in falls due to the ice, and now we’re starting to see it again with the refreeze, where it’s melted, and now the we’re getting that black ice,” Cosgrove said.
Prevention is key.
“Make sure you’re clearing your paths, and you are putting salt or some type of ice melt down,” Cosgrove said. “Keep an eye on your neighbors, especially those who may not have the ability to clear their own path, and really take care of each other.”
Older people are at a higher risk of slipping.
“The elderly population — they may be a little unbalanced or not have the strength that they thought they had in the past,” Cosgrove said. “That always is a big area of concern.”
Those taking blood thinners also have heightened risks.
“When they fall and hit their head, there’s concern for internal bleeding and other issues that are precipitous of the fall but not directly related,” Cosgrove said.
If you take a bad fall, you could need help from EMS.
“Sprains, breaks, fractures, any kind of extremity, like a lower leg injury or, again, the hip is always a big concern for people when they fall and they may kind of land on their back,” Cosgrove said.
If you see someone fall, check their condition before you try to help.
“If someone loses consciousness, absolutely leave them where they are. Call 911,” Cosgrove said. “If they’re able to be moved and they didn’t lose consciousness, they’re not complaining of numbness and tingling or any kind of concern for a spinal injury, get them inside, get them warm so we can evaluate them.”
