Please don't stick your fingers...

[legalskier]

in your snowblower!

Long Island Blizzard Mishaps: Severed Fingers and More
*** At about 11:00 a.m. Monday, a 34-year-old Mineola man severed two fingers on his left hand while attempting to fix his snow blower, police said. Initially, the treacherous road conditions prevented emergency vehicles from reaching the man, but Nassau County Police Department sport-utility vehicles were able to get to him and take him to Winthrop Hospital, police said. ***

"More gore" here: http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2010/12/27/long-island-snow-mishaps-severed-fingers-and-more/

 

[RootDKJ]

in your snowblower!

Long Island Blizzard Mishaps: Severed Fingers and More
*** At about 11:00 a.m. Monday, a 34-year-old Mineola man severed two fingers on his left hand while attempting to fix his snow blower, police said. Initially, the treacherous road conditions prevented emergency vehicles from reaching the man, but Nassau County Police Department sport-utility vehicles were able to get to him and take him to Winthrop Hospital, police said. ***

"More gore" here: http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2010/12/27/long-island-snow-mishaps-severed-fingers-and-more/

This happen more often that you'd think.

When I was an EMT, I got a call for a guy who did the same thing. I think it might have been the blizzard of '96. He faired pretty well from packing his parts in a hat-full of snow, but I don't recall the specifics. He was thankful enough to write a letter to the township and the local paper, and they published a similar story. Turns out the guy owns a liquor store and I wasn't 21 yet. Never got carded again and me + 1 friend could drink for free. Good times. :beer:

One of my co-workers actually did the same thing, and lost the tips of two fingers on his left hand.

 

[dmc]

I know a guy that almost lost his fingers with one... Was pretty bad... But he kept em...

 

[wa-loaf]

Yeah, I use a stick if I have to poke around in there for anything ...

 

[Glenn]

Always shut it down. And if you want to be super OCD, pull the wire off the plug. My wife is a hand therapist, so I don't dare mess with the snow blower when the engine is running. It's not worth chopping up your hand...just to save 30 seconds so you don't have to restart it.

 

[wa-loaf]

Always shut it down. And if you want to be super OCD, pull the wire off the plug. My wife is a hand therapist, so I don't dare mess with the snow blower when the engine is running. It's not worth chopping up your hand...just to save 30 seconds so you don't have to restart it.

If the blades are jammed they can still release even if you have turned it off ...

 

[thetrailboss]

You'd be surprised how often this happens.

 

[o3jeff]

My Ariens has a little shovel right on the front to use if it jambs.

 

[Kerovick]

I'm OCD, I disconnect the spark plug wire and use a stick!

 

[drjeff]

Yeah, I use a stick if I have to poke around in there for anything ...

Yup! That's why I always keep an old wooden handle from a previous driveway sealing squeege/broom. My wife asked me a couple of years ago why I was still keeping it, and when I told her what it was for, I haven't been asked anymore why I don't throw that wooden handle away during the annual sprinfg garage cleaning session

 

[Geoff]

Yup! That's why I always keep an old wooden handle from a previous driveway sealing squeege/broom. My wife asked me a couple of years ago why I was still keeping it, and when I told her what it was for, I haven't been asked anymore why I don't throw that wooden handle away during the annual sprinfg garage cleaning session

My dad, also a dentist/oral surgeon, was super-paranoid about snow blowers. If you chop some fingers off, you're unemployed for life.

 

[powpig2002]

when i was in h.s. a buddy, now known as "nubs", did it. 40 something years late, i still don't put my hands near rotating equipment.