UNITY — As the mercury jumped between negative single and double digits over the past week, commuters and travellers had a longer trip to their destinations due to rain leaving the roads in icy conditions.
Social media posts included photos and videos of the unsavoury driving conditions and multiple vehicles that had slid into the ditch, including an ambulance.
“Highway 14 west was the worst of all the surrounding roads out of Unity, especially at the Denzil turnoff. There were semi-trucks jackknifed in the middle of the road, making it impossible for anyone to pass,” said Cody Hobelsberger, one of the owners of Lonestar Auto Repair and Towing Ltd.
Lonestar had put out a post on their Facebook page informing everyone they would not be able to attend any further calls after 8 p.m. as they were busy trying to help those who had already made arrangements for assistance.
“Majority of the calls we received were prior to the post being made. We even had farmers come out with their tractors to help us with getting people back on the road once the salt trucks went by,” added Hobelsberger.
Alongside Lonestar, local fire departments from Unity and Macklin, as well as RCMP members, where the focus was trying to keep the situation from getting worse.
“We were lucky to receive only one call, which we responded to with seven members. The extremely icy road conditions made for our biggest hazard, not only for responding to the call but while on scene with the passing vehicles,” said Unity’s fire chief, Colby Klein.
Hobelsberger wants to remind drivers who decide to travel in unfavourable conditions to ensure they have emergency kits stocked.
“Make sure you have lots of supplies and be prepared to sit or sleep in your vehicle. When conditions are not great and emergency services are needed, those resources can be spread very thin if there are multiple calls.”
Klein also wanted to remind drivers to use extreme caution while passing or meeting any emergency vehicles.
“With all things considered, everyone who was out there did a wonderful job. Some of us were unable to stand on the highway, so to have all the extra help and to see the Department of Highways out there at night salting the highway, we were grateful for everything,” added Hobelsberger.
Lonestar received their first call around 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 10 and was able to go home in the early morning at 12:30 a.m., where they were tasked with cleaning up of any vehicles involved in accidents once daylight broke.
