WASHINGTON — There is no calm after the storm for local emergency rooms.
Dr. Terry Jodrie, an ER physician with Washington Adventist Hospital, says the hospital is seeing a surge in activity as the area returns to life after the blizzard.
Some of those seeking emergency treatment simply put off seeing a doctor during the storm, while others were injured when they started to venture out in the ice and snow.
The majority of the injuries involve falls on slippery surfaces, but there are also patients who suffered heart attacks while shoveling snow.
Jodrie says anyone with underlying heart trouble is best off hiring a neighborhood kid to shovel, and warns, “this is not the time for the person who does not go to the gym to become a superhero.”
He also cautions anyone heading outside to dress for the severe cold, move slowly and watch out for black ice — those deceiving patches of pavement with a slick surface that can be extremely dangerous.
Jodrie also warns against drinking alcohol during “snow play” — it reduces reaction time and impacts your balance.
