From midnight Friday morning, January 10, Wantagh firefighters responded to three alarms but at around 10:00 a.m. when people started to get around things got busy real fast.
The first of some 25 calls came in and for the remainder of the day firefighters were in and out responding. The majority of the calls were for falls on the ice. Most were minor lacerations, bumps and bruises but a few were serious with a compound fracture and one which was handled by Nassau Police in which a woman sustained a fracture of the neck.
There were alarms transmitted for broken water pipes in which homes filled up with steam and a few in which ceilings collapsed, along with automobile accidents, arcing wires, Carbon Monoxide investigations and oil burner emergency’s.
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Residents are cautioned to use extreme care when traversing on ice. If possible walk along the grassy areas and if you encounter any sign of a slope do not attempt to walk. Stoops are extremely dangerous.
Pipes should be insulated if they are near an uninsulated wall or in a crawlspace. If that is not possible, keep a slight trickle in the faucet to keep the water moving. If a pipe freezes there are electric straps that can be wrapped around the pipe to assist in thawing. Under no condition should you use a torch to thaw the pipe as firefighters responded to one house fire which was started by using that method.
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With two more months of winter your Wantagh firefighters request that you use extreme care and be safe.
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