ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, January 12, 1996 TAG: 9601120027
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
Don't drive unless you have to. Roanoke city plans to begin towing stuck cars that are blocking snow plows.
With snow piled up and plow crews busy elsewhere, sight distance at intersections and ramps is limited. "Motorists should use extreme caution entering any roadway," says VDOT's Fred Altizer.
Cars will need chains to maneuver on hills because abrasives have not been applied while plow crews are clearing roads. Some hills and back roads are extremely slick "and that's not going to get any better" for awhile, Altizer says.
Park your car off the road to help plows move easily.
Bring your pets inside. Unless their doghouses are insulated, up off the ground and out of the wind, dogs may not make it through extreme cold, says Al Alexander of the Roanoke Valley SPCA.
Check pets' paw pads every day for ice to prevent frostbite and make sure they have fresh, unfrozen water. Keep a full bowl of food at all times during very cold weather and watch them if they run off a leash. Pets can lose their bearings after a snowfall and be unable to follow their scent home.
Wrap your pipes to avoid freezing. If they freeze, use a hair dryer to thaw not a torch.
If there's a power outage, call American Electrical Power and then turn off major appliances. Keep combustible materials at least three feet away from space heaters. Make sure extension cords used with heaters are the appropriate amperage.
If you run out of oil for your furnace, diesel fuel can be burned in most furnaces.
LENGTH: Short : 38 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: Illustration by staff.by CNB