WALLINGFORD, Conn. — With the coldest high temperature in a couple of years Tuesday, homeless shelters are packed, ski areas are making snow and those "hot hands" warming packets are no doubt selling like hotcakes.
Cold snaps also put fire departments on high alert, with people overloading electric outlets and using alternative heating methods. But, they have other concerns.
"Pond hockey, ice hockey, ice fishing, animals on the ice," said Robert Colangelo, a Battalion Chief with the Wallingford Fire Department.
The thin ice issues tied to animals can occur when folks take their furry friends for walks near lakes or ponds.
"Sometimes animals will drift off from their owners and onto the ice and they’ll feel compelled to go get them and they can potentially go through," said Colangelo.
And if you do fall through?
"We have a line gun, a 22-caliber rope gun basically to deploy a rope across a body of water," said Colangelo, who showcased their entire rescue repertoire.
The State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection recommends not skating or ice fishing on any body of water until the ice is at least four inches thick. And one way to gauge its thickness is to bring along a drill and a tape measure but know the ice does not freeze uniformly.
"We are prepared," Colangelo added. "We have the equipment and the individuals have the skills to do it."
And, for dog owners, Laura Burban, the Director of the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter in Branford reminds folks to wipe their paws down if you've taken them for a walk in the road because road salt can become an irritant and make their paws bleed.
Tony Terzi is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at tterzi@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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