With the winter now in full swing, and as we have all experienced, the peninsula has seen its share of significant winter storms, associated power outages with trees and wires.  These have not only been down on the roadway and private driveways, but also an extensive amount of damaged trees impacted by the storms which are now leaning over residences and commercial buildings.

Over the past several weeks the department has responded to multiple storm related incidents and motor vehicle accidents.  The have involved trees completely blocking roadways, as well as taking out major sections of the power and utility infrastructure.  It took a complete team effort, with BFD firefighters on call and responding 24/7, and clearing roadways in conjunction with Boothbay Public works crews.

In a major event on Barters Island, a nearly simultaneous situation occurred where trees and downed wires blocked access to both West Side and East Side roads. This became a critical safety event.  These trees blocked emergency access for fire apparatus and ambulances to over 1/3 of the island. It’s often said that it “takes a village” and in one case that was never truer than with the actions of Mike Leighton, owner of Midcoast Building and Excavation, and a resident of Barters Island. Upon seeing the situation, Mike jumped into action, working side by side with Boothbay fire crews, helping to clear a major set of downed trees on West Side Road. Some of these trees were over three feet in diameter. We would like to thank Mike for jumping right in and helping us clear this section of road very quickly and safely.

As a reminder, please keep the following safety tips in mind during winter storms.

1.     Never drive over or touch ANY downed wires.  Your car tires will not insulate you from electrocution should the lines be down on the roadway and energized.  Should you encounter orange cones blocking a roadway, please do not walk or drive past these cones, as they signal a dangerous situation and obstructions.

2.     For roadways covered in snow and ice, exercise additional situational awareness, by slowing down and realizing that coming to a complete stop or navigating turns may be severely impacted by these conditions.  Additionally, under certain conditions, the sun, combined with the reflection off the snow can cause severely restricted “blinding” situations for drivers.  The department has responded to several accidents where excessive speed and driver awareness given the impacted roadway conditions has been the cause of the accident.

3.     Should you be involved in a car accident, carefully evaluate the situation, and any injuries to you and other occupants.  Call 911 from your vehicle immediately, and if possible, safely exit the car and walk away from accident scene to a safe area clear from the actual roadway.  Roadways covered in snow and ice are an especially dangerous situation during a motor vehicle accident, as vehicles approaching an accident scene may not be able to take the appropriate evasive action.  

4.     Evaluate your residence or commercial structure for impacted trees that are damaged by these recent storms and take appropriate action.  Damaged trees and limbs can fall at any time and are prone to be more at risk from future storms.

5.      You should place portable generators at least 20 feet away from your home, doors, windows, and vents.  Point the exhaust away from the building to prevent deadly carbon monoxide (CO) from entering.  CO is a colorless and odorless gas that can build up quickly, even in partially enclosed spaces like garages. Ensure the generator is outdoors, on a flat, dry surface, with clear space for ventilation (3-4 feet on all sides), and use heavy-duty, outdoor rated extension cords, not indoor ones. 

6.     Portable electric heaters should be kept at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn, including furniture, curtains, bedding, paper, and clothing.  Then placed on a solid, flat, non-combustible surface, never on rugs or carpets, to prevent fires.   Always plug them directly into a wall outlet, not an extension cord, and turn them off when leaving the room or sleeping.

While we are all Mainers, and used to severe winter storms, we have to remain vigilant and not let our guard down as serious accidents and injuries can occur during and after these winter storms. Taking just a few minutes out of your day to review safety and fire prevention equipment and protocols in your home and being prepared should a serious event occur will put you and your family in the best position to respond to these events.   Our firefighters are on call 24/7 to support our community, and should you have any safety or fire prevention related questions please reach out to any member of our department who can assist you or bring it to an Officers attention.  And as always if there is ever a safety concern call 911 promptly.