School district taking steps to protect students from dangerous cold

With a wind chill advisory in effect until noon Thursday, the Hannibal public school district was planning Wednesday ways to protect students from the brutal cold, especially bus riders.
“Dr. (Jill) Janes has already been monitoring the forecast,” said Assistant Superintendent Susan Johnson on Wednesday morning. “I do know that she’s talked with Mr. (Mike) Skeen, the director of transportation, and in preparation for tomorrow (Thursday) they are planning on sending additional buses out on the runs to try to help so kids won’t have to be at bus stops for any extended period of time.”
Once at school, elementary students can expect to remain indoors during recesses.
“Typically the schools are really good about monitoring that (wind chills) to see if it’s uncomfortable,” said Johnson. “If the wind chill is down at all, even way above what it is expected to be, they find additional plans. They do indoor recesses and things in lieu of going outside.”
There are those who may not have an option but to be outside, regardless of how cold it is. Among that group are firefighters.
“We try to wear clothes in layers and make sure that we stay warm. We also try to minimize the exposure time we’re out in the elements,” said Bill Madore, deputy fire chief.
At the Board of Public Works, workers are typically not sent out when it is bitterly cold, according to Heath Hall, director of operations.
“We don’t get out unless it’s an emergency. It’s not good on the big trucks to go out in this weather. Unless we have a power outage, water leak or something like that, we stay put,” he said.
When temperatures plummet, firefighters can encounter an assortment of problems.
“Carrying water in sub-freezing temperatures and with wind chills the way they are, it’s important for the engineers on the trucks to make sure that they circulate the pumps to keep the water moving. That way we don’t encounter a problem with the apparatus and have broken pipes and in turn have to take the truck out of service,” said Madore.
Another fire-fighting possibility is finding that hydrants are frozen.
“That’s a concern that we have and unfortunately we’re not aware of that until there is problem,” said Madore. “Luckily in town there’s plenty of hydrants. Generally in most residential areas you can encounter a hydrant within 300 feet of each other. We carry enough large diameter hose on the truck that we can still have an effective hose laid to attack a fire and put the fire out.”
Regardless of the temperature, people can still be found out on the highways. Capt. Tim Hull, director of public information for the Missouri State Highway Patrol, says it is a good idea for travelers to carry an emergency kit that includes additional gloves, blankets, a candle and matches. Hull strongly urges motorists to carry a cell phone.
“We definitely recommended that in today’s world as they travel,” he said. “If they do become stranded in this type of weather, we don’t recommend that they get out and walk. Even a minimal amount of time of exposure in sub-zero temperatures can be life threatening.”
Hull says stranded motorists should dial star-55 on their cell phone. That will put them through to the closest troop headquarters.
“Then we can get someone out to assist them fairly quickly,” he said.
The cold conditions are not just hard on humans.
“It’s hard on farm animals, especially when they’ve got a wet hair coat they really do suffer” said Al Kennett, University of Missouri Extension Service livestock specialist. “The wind is the crucial part. They need to have protection to get out of the wind.”
According to Kennett, this is a time when cattlemen need to keep a close eye on their herds.
“If we have cows that are due to calve we need to get them inside or somewhere in protection,” he said. “On a night like we’re going to have tonight, a calf can freeze to death. That’s a major concern.”
Another danger facing livestock is the possibility of falling through thin ice.
“If you haven’t broken the ice so they can get to water they’ll walk out on the ice trying to find a spot to drink. They’ll then go through it and can’t get back out,” said Kennett. “It seems like nearly every year you hear of somebody that loses some cattle that way.”