Winter Snowmobile Safety 2011

Once again the white stuff is here and in great quantity for those of you lucky enough to have snow like Oswego County and the Tug Hill Regions of New York. 
When you are having this much fun, few of us want to consider "emergencies" or "preparation" so the time to get that out of the way is BEFORE you head out.

Having a game plan and making sure that if you (or your sledding buddies) have certain medical conditions, take certain medications, have serious allergies, special needs or maybe just want relatives notified ASAP in an emergency - then ICE is for you.  

ICE can play a roll in improving your odds of getting the correct medical treatment in that critical "Golden Hour" of intervention. 

Even if you don't live in the snow belts but travel to some of the other great white spots in the country for this recreation or sport, then being prepared beforehand is an absolute must.    This is especially important if you sled alone as some folks do. Having a well though out emergency kit on hand at all times and knowing how to use it ahead of time will go a long way in saving your butt!


In an emergency, First Responders or fellow sledders will notice this symbol and realize that you are equipped with emergency contact and medical information in the form of ICE Cards, ICE Medical Forms, Smart-ICE in their smart phones, or Emergency Contacts & prerecorded messages programmed in their cell phones.  ICE is also used in/on your vehicles where you can store additional information or back up copies as well. Redundancy works!

There is nothing worse than you or your buddies not having a clue about how to help each other out in an emergency - it could spoil your whole trip.  

Basic ICE Kits are free to those who send a SASE to the address below.  Your sledding group can also get quantities for members and make sure everyone is up to speed on using ICE and "carrying" - it is a no-brainer! 

Oddly, some people will spend $6-7K on a new sled and won't take 5 minutes to prepare for an emergency....just don't let that be you. 

Just so you would know how the new ICE Stickers might look on your sled we had Ed Coombs, a professional NASCAR photographer take some representative photos of a fully decked out snowmobile and rider to demonstrate various locations where ICE can be used on your machine. For effect, the helmet is clearly marked with a large ICE Sticker and which can be easily recognized even from a considerable distance.  We've had them outdoors for a few years on street signs and they still are looking good.

There are plenty of ways you or your club can use and help support the use of ICE as a preparedness tool in all seasons and in your home communities,  so check out this blog and the new website. 

Make every trip a round trip - be prepared!

Thank you NYSSA for bringing this message to your members and readers!

Check them out here.   http://nyssnowassoc.org/ 

ICE4SAFETY
PO Box 82
Dewitt, NY 13214 USA

Snowmobile Safety - Using ICE

It is definitely that time of year again and for those of you lucky enough to have snow like Oswego County and the Tug Hill Regions of New York - ICE can play a roll in improving your odds of getting the correct medical treatment in that critical "Golden Hour" of intervention.

Just so you would know how the new ICE stickers would look on your "sled" we had Ed Coombs, a professional NASCAR photographer take some representative photos of a fully decked out snowmobile and rider to demonstrate the various locations where ICE can be used on the machine. Notice (hard not to) the helmet is clearly marked with a large ICE Sticker and can be seen for a considerable distance.

ICE Cards are carried by the rider, his cell phone has emergency contacts programmed in using the international E.123 Standard, an Emergency Medical Info Form is carried and marked with an ICE sticker as well. A completed ICE Card can also be attached to the inside surfaces of the snowmobile to provide instant access to the information. If you would like to keep the card out of plain sight for when you park outside the gathering spot - try the storage compartment or an alternate document holder on board.

Ed says because the plastic cowlings are so slick on the new machines you might want to place the stickers on some equally visible surfaces that weren't designed to resist stickers. As you can see, this did not present any problem.

Now, see what kind of looks you get from the Sheriff's Patrol when you stop at the inspection checkpoint! ICE - we deliver! Thanks Ed!

ICE Vehicle Safety System & Snowmobiles

While we are on the topic of winter sports, here is a perfect use for ICE.

Snowmobiles work in remote areas often outside the range of cell phones or radios...mostly in underpopulated areas of some of the snowbound states.

County Sheriff's and State Police with sled patrols have a perfect opportunity to spread the use of this preparedness tool during their operator safety training sessions and trail interventions (aka "roadblocks").

A few hours on a trail and some distance by foot from civilization in below zero weather takes some advance preparation. When accidents or mechanical failure or medical issues come up it certainly is wise to have more than plan "B". Add too much alcohol and some drivers may become your worst nightmare on the snow.

Place an ICE Sticker on your sled, complete the ICE Cards, program your cell phones, attach a small ICE Sticker to them as well and complete a medical information form online to carry with you always! Simple. Never travel without a basic survival kit, tools and 1st aid kit.

Hey, we'll let the Sheriff's tell you about the rest for right now...

Snowmobile groups? By now you should have figured this out already....have fun and be safe!

Link to the New York State Snowmobile Association - NYSSA.