Several weeks ago we asked Facebook followers to submit their best winter safety tip! We received many submissions – some from VML Insurance Programs members and some from Facebook followers! The VML Insurance Programs safety team has ranked the top five below!
1) PREPARE= P-lan head allow extra time, R-educe your speed, E-xercise caution on bridges/overpasses, P-ack an emergency kit for your car, A-lways have a full gas tank, R-espect snow plows/snow removal equipment and E-njoy the holidays responsibly! – Lenny McDonald, Safety Specialist, Loudon County Sanitation Authority
2) Make sure your office has disaster preparedness plans in place, including one for severe winter weather. Have supplies in the event a winter storm or power outage prevents you from leaving your office. – Michael G. Stevens, Chief of Police, Town of Kenbridge
3) The time during a winter storm and the first several hours afterwards are the most dangerous. We always see traffic collisions that would be avoided if people would just stay off the roads during theses critical times. If you do not NEED to be out in your vehicle, stay at home and give the snow removal and emergency crews time to do their very important jobs. The grocery store will likely be out of that gallon of milk and loaf of bread that you were after anyway! – Jim Williams, Chief of Police, Staunton Police Department
4) Prepare for power outages ahead of time. Flashlights, batteries, food, a source of water and heat during the winter are basic necessities to have on hand during an outage. And don’t forget to make preparations for your pets, too! – Julie Stewart Tucei, Planning and Zoning Coordinator, Town of Vinton
5) Take an extra two minutes and clean off your side mirrors rather than wait for the defroster to do that. You need all the visibility you can get on the cold, frosty mornings. – – Shirley Chirch, Environmental, Health and Safety Manager, Gloucester County Schools
Each of these five submitters will receive a $20 gift card!
Please consider sharing these important tips with your staff – perhaps they can help prevent an injury.
Only VMLIP Facebook followers and members/member employees were eligible to win; however, all followers were encouraged to submit.
Other tips we received included:
- If you get stuck in the snow, don’t spin your tires – your tires may overheat and cause damage. Use sand, gravel, kitty litter, an asphalt shingle or other gritty items to help your tires gain traction. – Warsaw Police Department
- Don’t travel if you can avoid it when the roads are treacherous; stay home if you can, or at least don’t drive any more than is absolutely necessary. Running errands or driving to meetings can often wait. – Brian Key, Executive Director, Bedford County Public Service Authority
- Scuff the bottom of your high heeled shoes/boots with sandpaper so you will lessen the chance of slipping on ice while getting in the office. – Michelle Davis Stivers, Director, Southampton County Department of Social Services
- The worst feeling is having the flu. Winter weather brings on massive attendance issues due to employee illness. Promote wellness with flu clinics, promoting hand washing, provide hand sanitizer, develop good employee policies but do not penalize when people legitimately need any time off to recuperate. – Sandra Hardeman, Director of Employee Relations, Alexandria City Public Schools
- On the road, in the office, at the work site: Spray everything down with Lysol to prevent the spread of the flu! – Summar Forsythe Scott, Department of Social Services
For more safety tips visit the VML Insurance Programs website at: www.vrsa.us! Winners, be on the lookout for gift cards coming your way soon!
VMLIP offers more than just coverage. We are partners in risk management. How does your insurer stack up? Having all lines of coverage with VMLIP ensures that your organization is receiving comprehensive coverage and a wide variety of value-added services tailored to Virginia’s local governmental entities. Call for a quote today: (800) 963-6800. For more information on VMLIP visit: www.vrsa.us or follow us on Facebook.
** VMLIP blog postings are offered for VMLIP members to utilize in strengthening their risk management efforts. See copyright information for clarification on sharing this information.