University police urge cold weather caution

Via email from UW-Green Bay Police:

Campus Community,

University Police, Facilities Operations, and the Office of Risk Management would like to again remind all members of our campus community that the extreme cold weather we are experiencing now and for the next several days presents numerous safety concerns. Walking and driving areas may be affected by packed down snow or ice that is minimally responsive to the surfaces treatments applied to them. It’s simple science, when the ground and air temperatures are as low as they are, salt does not work. The hard ice also presents challenges to the removal equipment used, which is generally designed to remove loose and packed snow.

Crews are working hard to eliminate all areas of concern, but we would like to urge everyone to use good judgement when navigating the campus. Some tips are as follows:

• Dress warm enough to endure the cold conditions. Even if you are just running a quick outside errand, ask yourself if you could survive outside in the cold for an hour.
• Use entrances to campus and buildings that have been cleared, even if they’re not the most convenient.
• When walking, keep your hands out of your pockets to allow for better balancing.
• Wear footwear appropriate for the slippery conditions you will walk in and change your footwear once inside if necessary.
• When driving, anticipate the need for extra stopping distance and reduce your speed early and provide extra distance once stopped.
• If an area is closed, such as a roadway or path, don’t use it. Please know that it was closed for a reason.
• Don’t use cruise control or sharp wheel corrections when driving, they can cause of loss of traction in slippery areas.
• Always make sure you have good visibility before you drive, clear all your windows off.
• Keep your vehicle maintained and with at least half a tank of gas. You never know when you might get stuck.

Respectfully sent,

University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Police Department