Cold Winter Weather Can be a Challenge for the Sheriff’s Department

The cold winter weather has been a factor in a lot of the calls that have been handled by the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office. There have been about a half a dozen structure fires locally since the beginning of the year.

Meeker County Sheriff Brian Cruze says many of the fires have been wood stove-related, and one of the homes involved had no smoke detectors, so it’s a good reminder to make sure that you have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and to make sure the batteries are working. He says some people use space heaters in their homes, but they should be plugged directly into an outlet – not an extension cord or power strip – and should not be left unattended so do not leave them running when you go to sleep.

Sheriff Cruze says there have not been too many incidents this year of vehicles going through the ice on our area lakes, but even with the cold temperatures, the ice depths can vary. He says it’s important to know the lake on which you are venturing.

Sheriff Cruze says some lakes have aeration systems which can alter ice depths; there can be springs or currents, and you should avoid ice heaves. He says any time you drive out on a lake, you should keep your windows down, wear a floatation device and keep ice picks handy.

Sheriff Cruze says his office has responded to several vehicle crashes this winter. He says the roads may appear to be dry, but there can be patches of black ice which can cause vehicles to go out of control so it’s important to slow down and drive according to the conditions.