Linn County Sheriff Office Busy with Weather Related Calls

Advice from the Linn County Sheriff to keep residents safe and alive.

File photo by Tim King Salem-News.com

(ALBANY) - Linn County Sheriff Bruce Riley reports his deputies have been extremely busy over the last few days. Since the snow began to fall last Thursday, deputies responded to 210 weather related calls for service.

These calls included 53 injury & non-injury motor vehicle crashes, 63 motorist assist calls, 76 traffic hazards, and numerous welfare checks, abandoned vehicles, agency and person assists. These calls were above and beyond our normal call load which typically includes thefts, burglaries, assaults, domestic disturbances etc.

Deputies assisted stranded drivers by pushing high centered vehicles out of deep snow, helping install and repair tire chains and giving stranded drivers a ride to safe locations. Some of the person assist calls included giving people who were walking in deep snow along the roadways a ride home and going to the pharmacy to get medication for an elderly gentleman.

The Linn County Sheriff's Office Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) transported approximately 20 critical hospital staff members from their homes to the Lebanon and Albany Hospital. This allowed the hospitals to have the staffing required for treatment of patients during this weather event.

The Linn County Sheriff's Office would like to recommend a few simple steps to help keep you safe during these types of weather incidents.

1. Avoid travel unless necessary when winter weather is in our area.
2. Slow down.
3. Always wear your seatbelt.

Other considerations:

1. Leave early - allow more travel time; expect delays.
2. Increase distance between vehicles, it takes longer to stop on snow or ice.
3. Clear all windows on your vehicle prior to travel.
4. Use your headlights.
5. Use caution on bridges and overpasses as they are susceptible to freezing before the roadway.
6. Avoid using cruise control which can cause your vehicle's wheels to continue turning on slippery surfaces.
7. Ensure your vehicle has a full tank of gas in the event you are stranded for an extended period of time.
8. Keep you cell phone charged.
9. Take a blanket and emergency supplies while traveling.
10. Notify a family member or friend of your travel plans.

In the event you are involved in a crash, please be patient. Emergency vehicles have an increased response time during these types of weather events and experience a high volume of calls for service. If you are involved in a non-injury crash please try and move your vehicle out of the roadway to avoid causing another crash. If your vehicle becomes stranded or wrecked but not on the roadway, removal of your vehicle might have to wait until conditions improve for safety considerations.