Doctor issues an ice storm warning about slippery sidewalks

Cedar Rapids, Iowa – Public works staff in Cedar Rapids reported that they use hundreds of trucks to maintain the safety of over 14 hundred miles of streets.

However, when the ice comes, walkways will also become hazardous.

Before the ice arrived, a layer of salt and brine was applied to county roads, highways, and busy city streets in many places. Additionally, as individuals get ready to protect themselves, hardware stores witnessed an increase in foot traffic.

Phil Cronin, shop manager at True Value Hardware on Mount Vernon Road in Cedar Rapids, stated, “I personally would prefer to sell lawnmowers and rakes during the nice weather, but… you know we’re in Iowa.”

According to him, his best-selling items during the winter are 50-pound containers of ice melt.
“It will be easier to shovel later if you get your ice meltdown early,” Cronin stated.

The increased traction may benefit you every step of the way and prevent a hospital visit, according to experts at UnityPoint Health St. Luke Hospital in Cedar Rapids, even while that preparation work will make it simpler to move your car out of the garage in the morning.

Dr. William McDowell stated, “It’s also the people out there taking their first steps when they go out to shovel or spread the ice melt, so just being really careful as you’re first stepping on the ice as you get used to it.”

When there is an ice storm According to Dr. McDowell, the number of patients who have fallen hard and lost their footing has increased at the hospital.

“They differ slightly from a typical slip and fall in the house because you don’t have as much time to catch yourself and react,” McDowell explained.

The amount of rain that falls before it turns to ice is another concern for the guys out here. All of that salt and brine might be washed away by a strong downpour, leaving eastern Iowa in a frozen mess.