March 19, 2024

Ice storm serious, but not deadly

Ice storms present special hazards, both to those who are traveling and those who stay home. Slick surfaces make trasnportation next to impossible and heavy ice is known for bringing trees and electrical wires down. Osceola saw its fair share of stranded vehicles Sunday night, though the power stayed active for most homes.

“I got a call from one of the supervisors that law enforcement had contacted them about all the accidents,” said City Engineer Tom Andersen.

The decision was made to close Highway 152 after several cars had gotten stuck in the same area. Barriers with flashing amber lights were put in place to warn people away from the roadway while county workers went in to retrieve stranded vehicles and improve road conditions.

“We were getting the ice cleared off when one of our trucks went in the ditch,” Anderson said.

The driver’s injuries weren’t serious enough to keep him from returning to work by Tuesday morning.

Advanced warning

The authorities advised everyone to stay off the roads if possible, from Sunday afternoon through Monday night.

The first Nixle advisory was sent out by Police Chief Marty Duffus 3:22 p.m. Friday. By 4:18 p.m. Saturday, another, more serious notice was sent out. Nixle is a free service residents can subscribe to by texting the Osceola zip code, 50213, to 888777, or by signing up through email at Nixle.com.

By Monday morning, the Iowa Department of Transportation’s website, Track-a-Plow (trackaplow.iowadot.gov) was a web of purple and red — travel not advised. Drivers said conditions on side roads were brutal, with traveling speeds capped at 15 mph, but by afternoon, most major roadways were in decent shape.

While several cars slid off the road, no serious injuries were reported.