Don’t join the pile-up party this winter Published Oct. 20, 2009 By Col. Emily Buckman 21st Mission Support Group commander PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The weather outside can be frightful, and snowy, icy roads can be even more frightful. Having your car skid out of control across ice toward a concrete embankment or another vehicle is terrifying. On a very snowy and icy night in 1988 when I was a senior at the Air Force Academy, I was driving on the northern side of Colorado Springs. I came around a bend in the road just in time to see the car in front of me slide into another car that had already hit an ice patch and smashed into a light pole. Although I initially avoided the pileup, I hit the same patch of ice and joined the pileup party. Although the police didn't cite me, I was still penalized by my insurance company. What's the moral of the story? It was getting dark, and the weather was snowy, and icy. I didn't need to be out there in my rear-wheel drive V8 spinning my wheels. The best advice for driving in bad winter weather is not to drive at all, if we can avoid it. If you must drive in snowy conditions, make sure your car is prepared. Know your car - even front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads. Also, if you must drive, know how to handle road conditions. Keep your speed down as driving too fast is the number one winter driving error. Leave plenty of room to stop, and turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists. Our civil engineers will be hard at work making the base safe for you, but driving conditions will still be different. Civil engineers use liquid de-icer to help prevent ice on the roads. However, it makes roads slippery, especially intersections, so everyone needs to be careful. In order for the de-icer to be effective, the trucks will drive in an S-pattern, making passing hazardous. Therefore, when you see the equipment putting down this liquid and/or solid, please do not pass. Also, snow plows and equipment will be on the road. Unfortunately, they cannot stop quickly due to their mass and road conditions. Drivers need to keep at least 50 feet between them and the equipment. While our Peterson snow control operations are robust, the off-base community has a bigger challenge. As such, our wing leadership has a strong command and control process that identifies the off-base risks from impending inclement weather. The 21st Operations Support Squadron Weather Flight issues a weather watch and keeps leadership apprised of current conditions, as well as a 24-hour forecast. Along with weather data, we gather information about road conditions from the Colorado Springs Police Department, the Colorado Department of Transportation, school districts, and other military installations. Based on all of these factors, Col. Stephen Whiting, 21st Space Wing commander, then makes a decision about whether Peterson will have a normal duty day, delayed reporting, or be closed. 21st SW Public Affairs staff will update media outlets and the base's public Web site at www.peterson.af.mil and the base's snow call line (556-7669) with the base's reporting status. Of note, in case of delayed reporting, please be sure to arrive no earlier than two hours after your normal duty time. This allows the civil engineer snow crews to efficiently clear roads and parking lots for your safety. Sometimes snow doesn't fall overnight, but rather while we're at work. If inclement weather approaches during the duty day, Colonel Whiting may declare a phased early release. The reason for early release is to provide ample time for personnel to pick up their children, make it home safely, and allow civil engineers to make the base ready for the next day. All personnel have an assigned early release zone based on the location of their home in the map accompanying this article. It is important that everyone know their zone and only leave base when their zone is identified. If this is not followed, traffic will back up at the gates under snowy conditions, which could compromise safety. As you know, snow season is here to stay until April. The last time snow was here this early was 1961. Despite these early indications, your wing leadership and civil engineers are ready to take on anything Mother Nature has in store for us. Be safe on the roads on - and off-base - and let it snow.