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The Fire and Disaster Management Agency is urging elderly people to be careful when they clear snow from their roofs, following a number of fatalities in northern Japan.
Heavy snow has been falling for the past week along the Japan Sea coast, Hokkaido and parts of Shikoku. At least two deaths have already been attributed to the heavy snowfall – including one where an elderly man fell off the roof of his house and another where snow fell from a roof and buried the owner below.
The agency also cautioned elderly people about shoveling snow for long periods of time. Last winter, several people died of heart attacks due to the strenuous work.
Many elderly residents, who live in isolated communities, are struggling to remove snow. The land ministry has asked local governments and community groups to organize volunteer groups to remove snow for the elderly people.
© Japan Today
9 Comments
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kitzrow
Especially off of roof tops!
That Guy
Oh yeah. If only people had told these old people to "Be careful!" they never would have slipped off their roofs clearing snow!
What is needed is some instructions on how to clear snow safer, not only from roofs, but also from on the ground where many people give themselves heart attacks.
One problem is the typical snow shovel. Its much too wide. Snow has many types, and while some is dry and fluffly, some is wet and heavy. And yet people start from the bottom of deep wet snow and try to heave a whole deep slice of it. NO! You can use a regular shovel just fine with wet snow. Considering that you will need fewer breaks and can move faster, it probably won't even take you any more time. But if you do use a plastic snow shovel, you should start shoving it in somewhere under the top surface of deep snow and remove it by layers.
As for snow on the roof you don't need to get it all. If possible use a long pole from the ground to coax it to fall off. Once you get some patches cleared the rest melts easier as the sunlight strikes your roof (including UV through the clouds) rather than just bouncing off the white snow. Long bamboo poles can be bought at large "home centers". Smaller stores don't usually have poles long enough.
SenseNotSoCommon
Expect more from the countless Ministries of Stating the Obvious.
Yubaru
Similar to typhoon season, old folks here and roofs, something about them that just doesnt mix. Just goes to show that being elderly does not equate to having wisdom.
smithinjapan
It'll never happen. It doesn't matter how many deaths there are from old people falling off roofs during typhoons and snowfalls, others always follow in their place. It was absolutely no surprise to me when reading about all the deaths the other day after heavy snow that not one person was below 78. In a couple of cases -- where people were found in houses where the victims live alone, it's kind of hard to prevent given the living circumstances, but for the rest...
Brian Wheway
Has any body thought about and electric style blanket/heater something that can be fixed just underneath the roof tiles so when there is a lot of snow on the roof switch it on for 5 minutes the roof heats up slightly the snow turns to water, the snow slides off the roof, hey presto! then turn the blanket off.
citizen2000
Warning is good but better will be the city to do it instead of relying on old people to do it.