winter survival guide 2015

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WINTER SURVIVAL GUIDE 2015 INSIDE: School rules, policies for wintertime » 3 Winter vehicle accessories » 4 Cold-weather pet care » 5 Advice for surviving winter in Fairbanks » 6 Getting outside with the kids » 7 Your source for getting through the season Sunday, October 11, 2015 Dependable, efficient, and economical Clean, safe, and odorless Programmable set-back features Easy to install and operate Burns #1 fuel oil Find your local Toyostove dealer at www.rural-energy.com (907) 278-7441 SEASONS MAY CHANGE... BUT WARMTH FROM A TOYOSTOVE IS THERE WHEN YOU NEED IT F45520619

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Your guide to making the most of an Interior Alaska Winter. • School rules, policies for wintertime • Winter vehicle accessories • Cold-weather pet care • Advice for surviving winter in Fairbanks • Getting outside with the kids

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WINTER SURVIVAL GUIDE

2015

INSIDE:School rules, policies for wintertime » 3Winter vehicle accessories » 4Cold-weather pet care » 5Advice for surviving winter in Fairbanks » 6Getting outside with the kids » 7

Your source for getting through the season

Sunday, October 11, 2015

� Dependable, efficient, and economical� Clean, safe, and odorless� Programmable set-back features

� Easy to install and operate� Burns #1 fuel oil

Find your local Toyostove dealer atwww.rural-energy.com(907) 278-7441

SEASONS MAY CHANGE...BUT WARMTH FROM A TOYOSTOVEIS THERE WHEN YOU NEED IT

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2 Sunday, October 11, 2015Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

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3Sunday, October 11, 2015 Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

WINTER SURVIVAL GUIDE

What to know about schools in the winterBy Weston MorrowWMORROW

@NEWSMINER.COM

The last few winters in Fairbanks haven’t seen record-low temperatures or too many weeklong 40-below stretches, but they’ve caused more than their share of weather-related hardship for schools in the Fairbanks North Star Borough.

Despite rarely cancel-ing school in the past, the school district has canceled school on multiple occa-sions each of the last two years. This school year, the district made another rare move, canceling school because of roughly 6 inch-es of snow while it was still September. The move came

about as the result of con-cerns over road conditions and bus routes in the hills outside of town.

Though the September cancellation only lasted one day, the winter weath-er continued to affect the routines of parents and students when school resumed. Because of the weather and concerns

about roads in the hills, school administrators elected to change bus drop-off and pick-up locations to alternate routes.

As a parent, knowing your student’s bus num-ber and any possible alter-nate locations is important during the winter. Asha Ben-Israel, 9, comes up with a face-full of snow after what started as

snowman building with family and friends turned into a snowball fight in South Fairbanks Park in October 1998. ERIC ENGMAN/NEWS-MINER FILE PHOTOSCHOOLS » 11

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4 Sunday, October 11, 2015Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

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WINTER SURVIVAL GUIDE

Plenty of winter vehicle accessories availableBy Jeff RichardsonJRICHARDSON

@NEWSMINER.COM

Considering it’s cold and dark in the Interior for half the year, it shouldn’t be a surprise Fairbanksans are big fans of winter vehicle accessories.

Everybody knows about snow tires and engine block heaters, but there are plen-ty of other options that can keep drivers safe and com-fortable during the winter. From moose lights to heat-ed seats, winter add-ons have become commonplace in vehicles in the region.

Dwane McKee, the parts manager at Seekins Ford Lincoln, agrees there’s been a boom in available accesso-ries in the past decade.

McKee said he sees vehi-cle buyers frequently getting specialty items such as heat-ed steering wheels or seats, which take the edge off the cold after being parked out-side during a frigid day.

“With the computers getting better, the consum-er electronics can do a lot more now,” he said.

McKee said the most common accessory for win-ter driving is an auto start, which allows people to remotely start their vehi-cles and let them warm up before they’re driven. They

range from simple fob-op-erated devices to ones that can be timed or started by smartphones.

“It’s the primary thing on everybody’s list,” he said.

Online merchants offer a bounty of possibilities, some of which are more practical than others. They include windshield covers, plush steering wheel cov-ers, and all-season floor and trunk mats.

There are some winter driving accessories that don’t make the cut among local installers. Some vehi-

cle owners like interior heaters that keep their car warm when it’s plugged in, but Auto Trim Design own-er Bob Boswood said those are a fire hazard that they won’t install.

He said other additions, such as heated windshield wipers and cleaning fluid, were tested and weren’t effective in Interior condi-tions.

“If i t won’ t make it through 40 below, we won’t use it,” he said.

Boswood agreed that auto starts are a popular item for

local drivers, along with a variety of light packages. He said fog lights, which can be used in traffic, offer better visibility in fog or blowing snow. High-power moose lights are for off-road and solitary driving, allowing motorists to better spot ani-mals or other hazards.

“You can see way down the road and way off to the side for anything that might be coming your way,” he said.

Boswood also touted an item called Shur Trax that’s essentially a water-filled

bladder that fits in the back of a pickup. It provides an evenly distributed weight source throughout the win-ter, providing more traction on icy or snowy patches for the back end of trucks.

He said a battery back-up charger can save drivers whose vehicles unexpected-ly go dead in the middle of winter.

Above: Edgard Edquid, of the detail department at Park & Sell used car lot on the corner of Cushman Street and Airport Way, uses a gasoline-powered leaf blower to blow the fresh snow off of the vehicles on Jan. 5, 2001. Right: Extension cords

fill almost every plug in the lower Commons parking lot at the University of Alaska Fairbanks on Jan. 26, 2006. ERIC ENGMAN/NEWS-MINER FILE PHOTOS

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5Sunday, October 11, 2015 Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

WINTER SURVIVAL GUIDE

Cold weather tips for taking care of furry friendsBy Dorothy ChomiczDCHOMICZ

@NEWSMINER.COM

As every Interior Alaskan knows, the coming of winter means below-zero weath-er is only a matter of time. While humans have the ability to control their envi-ronment, our four- and two-legged companions don’t have that luxury. In the interest of keeping our pets healthy and happy, here are some winter animal care tips from Fairbanks veteri-narian Hayden Nevill.

DogsSome dogs fare well in

the cold while others do not, so the bottom line is to know your dog and to use common sense.

“If a dog has a very thick coat and is comfortable outside — it’s active, not shivering, and not hiding in its house trying to stay warm — then they may

be more comfortable out-side,” Nevill said. “Some thick coated dogs get too hot if they’re brought in the house.”

The key is to provide the

dog with its own house and a thick layer of “nice, dry straw” to curl up on, Nevill said. You can further insu-late the dog house with pink or blue construction

styrofoam but it’s import-ant to cover the foam so the dog can’t chew on it, as this can cause serious health problems.

Nevill said it’s important to make sure your dog will actually go in its dog house. Some dogs are afraid of the unfamiliar and will refuse to enter the house, instead sleeping on the cold ground and compromising their health and safety. Take the time to acclimate your dog to its house and make it a place it wants to be.

Don’t just throw your dog outside and ignore it, Nevill said.

“The important thing is to watch the dog. If the dog is losing weight or is spend-ing a lot of time curled up in a ball, then that dog needs something to make it

warmer,” Nevill said.Small dogs, dogs with

short coats, dogs that are used to being inside, and very young or elderly dogs are “best kept indoors during the winter,” Nevill said.

Elderly dogs especially should be monitored and not just let outside on their own, as they tend to wander away, get cold and then curl up in an effort to get warm. The results can be fatal.

Dogs should be given plenty of access to warm, fresh water and heated water dishes are available in local stores or online. Unless your dog is a sled dog and used to living out-doors, it should never be chained up outside, Nevill said.

Alex Sargent, 17, leads her four-month-old yellow lab puppy Cody through the brush and snow as he hangs from her glove on Nov. 4, 2004. ERIC ENGMAN/

NEWS-MINER

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6 Sunday, October 11, 2015Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

WINTER SURVIVAL GUIDE

Fairbanksans’ best tips for surviving winterW e went to our

Facebook page to ask our read-

ers this question: “What’s the best tip you’ve given or received for surviving a Fairbanks winter?”

Here are some of the responses:

“This will be my second winter here. One of the best pieces of advice I got when I first got here was never stop in the middle of an intersection even when waiting to turn left. You will get hit if drivers coming from the other direction don’t stop in time and skid into the intersec-tion. Also if you skid off of the road into a snow bank, be sure to check your tail pipe for snow when you

get pulled out. Last one ... a warm hat and thermal insoles will make your whole body feel warmer by not letting the heat escape.”

Jessica Arkin

“I have learned one of the best ways to survive the Fairbanks winter is to drive a little slower and leave a litter earlier so you can drive safe. And most of all you have to have a hob-by or sport or something you can do so you don’t get depressed without too much sunlight. I have a happy light.”

Lana Schneidewind

“When we were planning our move to Fairbanks, a friend told us to look for

a home in the hills. Best advice ever. Generally 15 to 20 degrees warmer than town.”

Janice Durfee

“Learn to ski and you will wish for winter even when it’s summer.”

Christine Nutter Huff

“There are many Alas-kans, especially in the northern half, that have seasonal affective disor-der. Many aren’t aware of the signs. For some, it causes depression or makes you want to sleep

all day. But for many, it manifests as frustration or anger with no real reason for being so. My husband sees this on the slope often. I also think it was the cause of the pioneers cabin fever that caused them to attack each other. It’s from a lack of sero-tonin that your body cre-ates to regulate sleep and wake cycles.”

Pat Lytle

“Carry extra winter gear, blankets, flashlight, emer-gency kit in your vehicle at all times during winter for you and your family.”

Rebeca Rix

“Decide that you like the feel of wool.”

Dennis Busch

“When you run to the store in your shorts, flip-flops and a tank top, that’s when you get a flat. Don’t dress stupid in AK.”

Austin Gibson

“Get out and do stuff! Get involved in the com-munity. This town has all sorts of events occurring every week. This town is filled with interesting,

fascinating people. Go out and meet some! Make it fun.”

Shana Clay

“When you camp or need to set up a shelter, remem-ber to dig all the way to the ground. You will gain heat and in turn keep you warmer and dry. Also pile up snow around the out-side shelter walls to block wind.”

Dwight Sneed

“The winter will end eventually.”

Ken Schnekenburger

“Check your tire pressure once a week and fill them if they are anywhere below 32 psi (or whatever your tire manufacturer recom-mends).”

Noah Betzen

“The trick to staying warm is to never get cold.”

Carol Davila

“Stay indoors with a blanket or move to Flor-ida.”

Tom Nixon

“Be involved in your community. Have some-

thing to look forward to on a regular basis. Arts, ski-ing, church, whatever. But be involved.”

Kymberlee L. Oliver

“A personal pet peeve of mine: If you have a coat/hat/gloves on, then your kids should have on the same gear.”

Carmen Hernandez Alonzo

“Learn an outdoor sport! Try cross country skiing, dog sledding, something to keep you active and off the couch!”

Carol Thomas

“Anything you buy, whether it be automotive, clothing, etc. don’t cut cor-ners or try to save a buck. Buy the best quality you can afford. While this is good advice for anytime, it’s especially helpful for the severe winters the inte-rior sees.”

Don Isenberg

“Wait to make sure everyone else has been able to stop before entering the intersection or roadway.”

Jacquelyn Laurie Halpin

A pair of skiers cross Ballaine Lake on a warm, wintry day Jan. 12, 2015. ERIC ENGMAN/NEWS-MINER

FILE PHOTO

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7Sunday, October 11, 2015 Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Check out our TOP 50 PFD Specials at Compeaus.com. Get up to $4,000for your PFD on new non-current models, and even more for some of ourother winter specials. To see the full list, stop by Compeau’s this weekor check them all out online. And stop by our booth at the GO WINTEREXPO at the Carlson Center October 10 & 11.

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WINTER SURVIVAL GUIDE

Cure cabin fever with kid-friendly experiments By Robin [email protected]

Rambunctious children can make surviving winter difficult for kids and adults alike.

When cabin fever strikes, it’s good to have some backup activ-ities to give everyone a breath of fresh air.

So staff at the University of Alas-ka Fairbanks’ Museum of the North provided some fun experiments to try with your children, all with very minimal equipment, most notably a meat or candy thermometer.

Explore the insulating properties of snow and fat

Jennifer Arseneau recom-mends exploring the difference in temperature between the air and snow, and the insulating proper-ties of blubber.

For the first experiment simply use a thermometer to measure

the temperature of the air, and then measure the temperature under the snow, which is scientif-ically termed “subnivean.” Snow traps lots of air, and makes it an excellent insulator. New snow is often 90 to 95 percent trapped air, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center.

“That’s why the subnivean is a great environment for many active winter animals, like voles,” Arseneau wrote in an email.

If you want to play messy, pull out the shortening. Fat, or blub-ber, also makes a spectacular insulator. Put a disposable glove on your kid and coat their hand with shortening, then add a sec-ond larger glove to contain the mess. Dip both the bare and blub-bered hand into ice water,

“You will quickly feel the differ-ence having a layer of blubber can make!” Arseneau wrote.

Another experiment in the spec-

trum of losing heat is to compare the thermal mass of two different sized “animals.” Get two jars of dif-ferent sizes, one small one large.

Fill each jar, according to size, with hot water, and monitor the temperature with a thermometer.

Before starting, ask your chil-

dren to hypothesize which jar will stay hot longer. The ratio of

Darrin Fansler, 5, left, helps push a sled with Nick Rice, 8, and his brother, Andrew Gaines, 6, right, on Feb. 26, 2006, at the Chena Recreation Area. JOHN HAGEN/

NEWS-MINER FILE

PHOTO

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8 Sunday, October 11, 2015Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

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Subsistence Regional Advisory Council Meetings:The public is encouraged to participate

Federal Subsistence Management Program

This is a public process where an individual has as muchsay as the organizations. It is an opportunity to offer publiccomment on Federal subsistence issues. The public is welcomeand encouraged to participate.

The Eastern Interior Alaska, Seward Peninsula and WesternInterior Alaska Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils will meetto discuss proposals to change the Federal subsistence hunting andtrapping regulations for the 2016-2018 regulatory years and otherissues related to subsistence.

Seward PeninsulaOct. 14-15, 20159:00 a.m. daily

at Old St. Joe’s Hall inNome

Participate in person or byteleconference, (866) 820-9854,passcode 4801802.

Eastern Interior AlaskaOct. 22-23, 20158:30 a.m. daily

at Pike’s Waterfront Lodge inFairbanks

Participate in person or byteleconference, (866) 560-5984,passcode 12960066.

For meeting materials and more information on the Federal Subsistence Management Program, visit:www.doi.gov/subsistence or call the Office of Subsistence Management at (800) 478-1456.

Western Interior AlaskaNov. 3-5, 20158:00 a.m. daily

at the Galena Community Hall inGalena

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9Sunday, October 11, 2015 Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Cats“I’m a fan of keeping cats inside

because it’s so much safer for them,” Nevill said. “Especially in the winter, when they can get frostbitten footpads.”

While some people let their cat outside so that it can run, jump and do other cat activities, a few simple things can go a long way to keeping your cat happy indoors.

“One thing that helps is to have a lot of vertical space for your cat. Some people put carpet remnants on shelves or stairs for their cat to lay on. Also, even five minutes of exercise with a laser pointer or toy is enough to keep them happy inside,” Nevill said.

Birds and exotic pets“One of the things that ’s

important with birds, reptiles and amphibians is that they stay warm. If your power goes out,

you either need a generator or you need to get them quickly to a warm place,” Nevill said.

You can safely transport cold-blooded creatures in cold weather by placing them in an ice chest with a hot water bottle secured inside, Nevill said. Air holes are not needed for short trips because these animals breath less frequently than humans or other animals.

Healthy birds can tolerate more changes in temperature, according to Nevill, but it’s important to have a carbon monoxide monitor in your home because birds are espe-cially susceptible to air quality.

Chickens and other poultry

Most fowl can survive Fairbanks winters quite well if kept in an insulated house with a heat lamp to warm them. Use a heated base to keep their water from freezing.

In generalIt’s important to keep your pets

away from things like antifreeze and other fluids that may leak from your vehicle, Nevill said. Antifreeze — which can be fatal if ingested — is sweet and dogs will seek it out and eat it.

Cats don’t like the taste as much as dogs, but can be poi-

soned by walking through it and then licking their paws.

“If you think that a dog or cat has gotten into antifreeze, call the vet — don’t wait for symp-toms to appear. It’s very treatable if we catch it right away,” Nevill said.

Last but not least, remember that your pets are part of your family, and rely on you to keep them safe and warm. Don’t let them down.Contact staff writer Dorothy Chomicz at 459-7582. Follow her on Twitter: @FDNMcrime.

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WINTER SURVIVAL GUIDESean Moan, 6, throws a tennis ball to Jessie Pasma’s dog Amiria at the Fairbanks Dog Park on Jan. 9, 2015. ERIN

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PET CAREContinued from 5

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Wanzetta Morning, 10, prepares to throw a snowball at her brother, Wanzell Morning, 8, while they clear snow off the trampoline at their home on Sept. 25. Their mother, Stephanie Morning, told them she would keep the trampoline up during the winter as long as they kept it clear of snow. ERIN CORNELIUSSEN/NEWS-MINER FILE PHOTO

surface area to mass is much lower for the large jar, meaning it will stay warm longer.

Salted snowThe affect salt has on the freezing tem-

perature of water can be examined multiple ways. Put snow in a bag, take the tempera-ture and feel with a bare hand. Then add a few tablespoons of salt. Salt lowers the freez-ing temperature of water. Keep an eye on the thermometer because the snow “will get very cold!” Gabrielle Vance, museum staff, wrote.

Alternately, put salt in regular tap water, then see how cold the water gets before it actually freezes.

Bonus: use the lower-freezing tempera-

ture provided by salt to make ice cream! Put one tablespoon sugar, half a cup of milk and some vanilla extract in a sandwich-size Zip-loc bag. Insert the smaller bag with ingredi-ents into a gallon-sized bag. Inside the larger bag put 2 tablespoons rock salt and enough ice cubes to almost fill the container. Seal shut and shake, about 20 minutes, until the inner mixture is frozen.

Snow vs. waterMeasuring the water content of snow is a fun

and visual experiment. Gently scoop snow into a bucket or leave one out during a snow storm — don’t pack the snow down. Measure and record the snow depth. Then, bring the bucket indoors, let the snow melt and again measure the contents. In many cases you’ll need 20 inches of snow to produce one inch of water. Contact staff writer Robin Wood at 459-7510.

EXPERIMENTSContinued from 7

Safety experts also recom-mend vehicles have a specif-ic emergency kit for winter

driving, including a sleeping bag, tow rope, emergen-cy flares and hard-warmer packets.

Cellphone chargers that plug into cigarette lighter receptacles will keep phones

available to communicate with emergency personnel in case of a crash.Contact staff writer Jeff Richardson at 459-7518. Follow him on Twitter: @FDNMbusiness.

VEHICLESContinued from 4

Information on late buses can be found on the district’s website at www.k12northstar.org/Page/4051. In cases where buses are delayed by road conditions, the status of route times can be found at www.k12northstar.org/late-bus.

Parents who have ques-tions about their students’ bus route can contact the school district ’s trans-portation department at 452-3567.

These alternate drop-offs usually had buses stopping at the bottom of hills, in some cases more than a mile from their usual bus stops. These alternate routes drew

annoyance from some par-ents, who said they had to locate their students’ buses and pick up their kids from the alternate stop point because the students were not being allowed off the bus without a parent.

One parent said her son waited for more than an hour on his bus since no one called her to say she needed to try to leave work and pick him up from a new location.

RecessWinter weather doesn’t

usually stop kids in the Interior from getting out and playing, but in more extreme weather condi-tions, the district will can-cel outdoor recess as a pre-caution. This typically hap-

pens when the temperature falls lower than 20 below.

However, students are still allowed and encour-aged to participate in out-door recess up to this point. So it’s important students come to school dressed properly for the weather. The district stresses the importance of proper win-ter gear, including a warm jacket, snow pants, gloves and a hat or beanie.

Even if students don’t want to go outside for recess, they should have a jacket for times they’re awaiting the bus or in case they need to go outside with their class for some reason.Contact staff writer Weston Morrow at 459-7520. Follow him on Twitter: @FDNMschools.

SCHOOLSContinued from 3

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