Similkameen residents were offered some grim reminders of the need to think ahead and think safety as winter and the festive season approaches.
Two house fires in the Lower Similkameen this weekend are reminders to the rest of us of the need to use caution and think safety when trying to keep warm this winter.
Outdoor fires continue to present dangers, in spite of the fact that there may be snow cover on the ground and sub zero temperatures in the air.
The use of supplemental heating sources like wood stoves can provide comfortable heat, but wood burning devices must be maintained and chimneys kept clean.
Hopefully, this weekend’s dual fire tragedies are reminders enough for the rest of us, and the rest of the winter sees no more residents left out in the cold because fires lit for warmth and comfort got out of control.
The Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) presentation at Similkameen Elementary Secondary School was also a grim reminder of the tragedies that come from impaired driving. Even as the presentation was made at the school on Monday morning, the region’s police were reporting that this year’s 90 day immediate roadside prohibitions had increased by almost a third over last year; all impaired files were at least equal to last year’s totals.
If that’s not sobering news to you, perhaps it ought to be.