Icy conditions creating hazards for more than just drivers - KAIT-Jonesboro, AR-News, weather, sports

Icy conditions creating hazards for more than just drivers

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JONESBORO, AR (KAIT) – The snow and ice left behind by the Winter Storm Tuesday has created delays for more than just local drivers.

The wintry weather has slowed the response time for first responders too.

Medic One Ambulance in Jonesboro prepared early for the snow and ice, though its crews now worry about that thawing and creating dangerously icy conditions.

"There's always something that you're never prepared for that happens," said Tim Brickell, the Medic One director of operations, "but we try to cover all the bases as well as we can."

Brickell and his co-workers began readying generators, changing tires and salting driveways to prepare ahead of the Winter Storm. Despite those precautions, he hopes people understand that any inclement weather will delay Medic One's response time, for good reason.

"The more inclement the weather is, the slower the response time's going to be," Brickell said. "That concerns people, and I understand. We have to be safe, so we can even get there.

"If we slide off the road or anything like that, then that's just that much more time we have to send another vehicle to the scene or whatever," he added. "We advise our guys to take it easy, watch the conditions and get there as quickly as possible but as safe as possible."

Brickell watched the snow and ice slowly melt Thursday, but he is concerned that the thaw will create more problems.

"As the temperature goes down at night, we have a pretty good thaw here during the day," he said. "Where there's standing water or where it's not able to drain very well, it's going to form ice and be slick."

Jonesboro E-911 dispatched emergency crews twice Thursday to help people that fell and injured themselves. Brickell is concerned that could increase, as motorists like Fara Moore of Jonesboro begin venturing from home in the next few days.

"I've been out today, and I'm really impressed with how well it's easy to move around," Moore said. "Thanks to all those that worked so hard clearing the roads."

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