The flashing blue lights of snow removal equipment are a beacon to curious kids to get up close and watch what’s going on, and that worries Cochrane infrastructure director Shane Skinner.
He says kids love to get up on top of snowbanks to watch the snowblowers, loaders and big trucks.
“That poses a problem,” he points out, “because little slip or a slide down the hill can get in the way of the equipment and that would cause a grave safety concern for our operators as well as we’re trying to avoid something tragic from happening.”
Skinner is also asking parents to talk to their kids about the danger of trying to grab a power or phone wire from the top of a huge snowbank, or hitting one with a hockey stick.
“They’re just being curious but at the same time, we want them to have the conversation just to make sure that the children are aware of the potential dangers and to avoid those at all costs.”