After the record breaking blizzard that has put the mid-Atlantic states under snow we were faced with a new set of challenges. Sure, we talked about insulating your home and making sure no energy is wasted. We also covered how to use snow to insulate your home and how to deal with your car and driving under similar circumstances.
But what do you do when you are practically paralyzed by the heavy snowfall? When flights get cancelled and roads get closed and when nobody even bothers to make sure these roads are accessible to the ambulance and the fire fighters?
Some may say that residential roads fall in the owner’s care and they are the ones who should deal with the snow on those portions. But what happens when the owners are elderly or disabled people, unable to shovel this kind of snow and sometimes unable to pay for this service? We all know that this storm proofed to be deadly to many, but did you know that a significant part of the deaths were caused by heart attacks linked to shoveling snow? So our concern, and yours I hope, is legitimate.
You might not think of it this way, but shoveling snow is a pretty intense physical exercise that can prove to be fatal for those at risk. The categories considered to be at risk in this case are those with a poor physical condition, people like you and I who work at the desk, on a chair, all day long and don’t get to do a lot of sports, those with high cholesterol and of course those over 55. Actually, doctors recommend staying away from shoveling snow altogether after the age of 55.
The stress of the intense physical activity, coupled with the cold air that constricts the blood vessels, could cause blood to thicken and become prone to clotting, are a fatal mix for many.
How to Stay Safe
Besides the risks described above, the more common health risk shoveling snow poses is that of low back injury. So whatever your age and your health condition, when dealing with this task you must take precautions.
First thing before getting to the shoveling part, start with a 5-10 minutes warm up. Move your arms slowly forward and backward, hold a body hug for 30-60 seconds, gently stretch your legs and back and take a brisk walk to help your muscles heat. If you have a bad back or you are over 55, you better ask for help than risk your health and your life!
Picking a good shovel is also something you must pay attention to. If you choose an ergonomic one, with a curved or adjustable handle, it will take a lot of the effort off your back and your knees. Take care, when holding the shovel, keep your hands distanced on the shovel’s handle in order to distribute the force equally. When digging up snow make sure the force comes from your legs and not from your back, keep your knees slightly flexed in order to help with that.
Preferably you should push the snow aside, instead of lifting it and carrying it from one place to another. But if there’s no other way, make sure you keep your loads light and your knees flexed while doing so and don’t ever try to throw it over your shoulder!
Stop for two or three minutes every other 10-15 minutes, and stretch your back, arms and shoulders. While tackling snow, remove the top layers first, instead of going in depth. It’s much easier this way and especially for your back! And also consider removing the snow during 3-4 days rather than in one.
Other recommendations would be: layer clothing in order to keep warm throughout the process and also to be able to remove them one by one as you heat. Hydrate as needed and avoid alcohol, caffeine and smoking that will overburden your heart and will increase chances of frost and hypothermia.
How to Build Your Tools for Snow Shoveling
Now that we’ve discussed some tips on how to handle the snow without ruining your health, let’s take a look at some really cool tools that will help you with your task. And that’s because not everyone was prepared for this type of downfall!
1. Homemade Snow Shovel
You won’t need much for this DIY tool, just a durable garbage can lid, some screws and a screwdriver, a single-edged razor blade or a box cutter and a wooden broomstick.
Use the blade (or box cutter) to cut the lid in two pieces with the cut edge acting as the scooping side, while the raised outer brim will keep the snow in place until deposited. The broomstick will become the shovel handle, that you will secure to the lid with three screw. Get the details here.
2. The Plow Wow
It’s available for order, but if you take a closer look at this contraption, it wouldn’t be that difficult to DIY. And if you feel like it, you could even help a neighbor or two and make a buck out of it!
Video first seen on Tyler Selph
3. Snow Shovel for Your Car
Watching this “bad boy” in action makes you want to give it a try even just to test your DIY skills and you car’s abilities. Imagine being able to remove snow from the comfort of your car, listening to your favorite CD and not having to freeze throughout the process. Here’s another plan of the same idea.
Video first seen on Rich In MN 1975
4. Human Powered Snow Plow
Now, I’m not sure this is actually easier than shoveling snow, but if you like riding you bike it sure is more fun and it seems more efficient. So why not give it a try?
Video first seen on Bob Beechy
5. The Redneck Snow Plow
This is the quicker and easier DIY version of the snow shovel for your car. Just try not to steal the parts you need to put it in place as recommended by the video!
Video first seen on gjvmnd
What’s the Easiest Way to Shovel Snow?
The option we saw above are great, but our favorite must be the following two.
Video first seen on Snow Granny
I am not sure exactly how this guy managed to fold the snow like that, but he got our respect for it!
Video first seen on Joshua Jordan
Now that you’ve seen how these folks used their imagination and whatever they had on hand to deal with the snow, let us know in the comments below how are things in your area and how are you handling the situation?
This article has been written by Brenda E. Walsh for Survivopedia.
References:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/blizzard-2016-snow-shoveling-proves-deadly/
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