Final death toll from February winter storm

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Paladin
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Final death toll from February winter storm

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Post by Paladin »

Since Texas doesn't normally get storms like we got last February, there is valuable information to learn from:

Texas DSHS reports higher death toll from February winter storm
DSHS says that about 65 percent of winter storm-related deaths were injuries related to extreme-cold exposure, 158 of those due to hypothermia and three due to frostbite.

According to the report, 25 deaths were due to the exacerbation of pre-existing illness, ranging from disruptions to dialysis or oxygen treatment, the freezing of medical devices and medication, disruption of hospice care, engaging in outdoor repair activity, or loss of power while on electricity dependent equipment required to sustain life.

About nine percent, or 22 deaths, resulted from motor vehicle accidents caused by hazardous road conditions during the storm, says DSHS. About eight percent or 19 deaths were the result of carbon monoxide poisoning due to the "inappropriate" use of generators, grills, heaters, vehicles running in enclosed spaces and ice obstructing vents on gas-powered heaters.

Ten deaths were from injuries sustained from house fires or while space heaters were in close proximity to ignitable materials. The remaining nine deaths were from trauma or fractures sustained from falls and slips on ice, a person who drowned after falling through ice, and injury complications that developed after a fall.
Having proper cold weather clothing including military "grid thermals" was a big comfort factor for me. Those things keep you warm and take no electricity or gas.

Knowing how to drive on snow and ice and having front-wheel drive was also a big plus. I had to drive every night/day out in that storm and front-wheel drive, knowing not to slow or stop going up hills, and knowing not to speed along the highway to avoid black ice really separated me from others out on the road.

Got a car/truck with rear wheel drive and stop on the upward slope of a hill? Yeah those people didn't go anywhere but back down the hill... And they were a hazard to everyone else on the road behind them.

Cruising along that "plowed" highway at highway speeds worked great for a guy until he hit a patch of black ice and totaled his car sliding into the concrete highway divider... I have no idea if he lived.
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