Don’t let this winter catch you off guard
- posted: 04 Dec. 2007
- scrollspecial@byui.edu
A student primps meticulously one winter morning to prepare for her 9 a.m. class. Bundled up in a scarf and hat, she walks to school. Upon arriving in class, she removes her hat only to find her hair has frozen on the way to class.
Sound frightful? It’s not — it’s Rexburg.
Snowstorms and other icy weather are a common shock to many new BYU-Idaho students.
Although Rexburg enjoyed a November with little snow, extreme winter weather can be just around the corner.
When icy weather hits, even a small amount of preparedness can help, according to www.emergency.cdc.gov. Planning ahead is the best way to keep safe and enjoy the winter months.
Idaho saw a total of about 7,000 car collisions between November 2006 and January 2007. Extreme-weather driving conditions, such as snow and ice, caused many of those collisions, according to www.idaho.gov.
Of all the accidents, 54 included fatalities, three of which occurred in Madison County, according to www.idaho.gov.
Driving at slower speeds can help students drive more cautiously. Although a speed limit sign may refer to an area as 65 mph, driving at that speed may not be safe.
Keeping at least half a tank of gas and an emergency kit in a vehicle can help protect drivers in case of emergency, according to www.fema.gov.
A kit should include at least a blanket, flashlight, flares, matches, snack food and water.
Students should also consider keeping a first aid kit in the car that contains, sterile gloves, antibiotic ointment and adhesive bandages.
Church leaders advise everyone to be prepared at home for possible disasters year round.
“Acquire and store a reserve of food and supplies that will sustain life. As long as I can remember, we have been taught to prepare for the future and to obtain a year’s supply of necessities,” said Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve. For more information on food storage, see page 8. 
