The heavy snow has put a strain on snow blowers and doctors. In the Fox Valley, one doctor says on Sunday alone he treated eight people who attempted to unclog a snow blower chute using their hand.
Some of those people lost fingers. Others suffered broken bones.
"There is never a safe time to put your hand into a chute. It always should be whether it's on, off, or not, you should always use a stick or other device besides your hand," said Dr. Boyd Lumsden of the Hand and Upper Extremity Center of Northeast Wisconsin.
One of those victims says it's a mistake he hopes no one else makes this winter.
On Sunday morning in his rush to clear out the driveway, Rusty Radmer says he let down his guard for just ten seconds when the chute of his snow blower clogged up.
"When I pushed the snow down, thinking it was off, I put my fingers directly into the auger."
Radmer admits the mistake could have cost him his hand.
"Actually I am quite happy I have three fingers, because I didn't think at first I had any left at all. I did break all three of my fingers and did some tendon damage in my index finger, which given my job is going to be a nuisance for quite a while."
The injury is almost ironic. It came just a few days after Radmer gave a safety seminar at his workplace and, being that it's winter, he focused on snow blowers and using a stick to unclog heavy, wet snow.
It goes to show how anyone can use bad judgment, especially in a rush.
"Mistake number one, I didn't have the right tool to break the clog out. Mistake number two, I didn't make sure it was a safe situation to put my hand into," Radmer said.
The injury to Radmer's hand could have been worse. If anything, he hopes it serves as a warning the next time Wisconsin sees a major snow storm.
"I just hope nobody does the same thing. If one or two people listen, I'm serious, big mistake, don't do it. Use the right tools."
WBAY-TV Green Bay-Fox Cities-Northeast Wisconsin News: Many Treated for Snow Blower Hand Injuries
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