Today, most of us in the Harlem Valley woke up to a gentle trickle of snowflakes. Nothing is accumulating beyond the dusting on the grass, but it serves to remind us that WINTER IS COMING.
What can you do? Make sure that your driveway is clear; shoveled or plowed completely. Make sure it is clear WIDE enough. Just because you can fit your SUV down it doesn’t mean that it is wide enough for a fuel truck. Also, be sure that it is free of ICE. Sand if necessary.
Trees are another concern in the winter. Those lovely “gentle” branches in the summer become icy puncture hazards in the winter. Tree branches that looked acceptably high enough in the summer become weighted and lower in the winter and can easily break a windshield or do damage to our fuel tank.
When you schedule a delivery of fuel oil it is important to remember that the oil truck driver is the captain of his ship. If he looks at your driveway and decides that he cannot safely navigate it, he won’t make the delivery. It’s that simple. He has every right to refuse. He is carrying up to 3000 gallons of heating oil which can quickly become a major hazard and he won’t take that risk.
Nobody likes to refuse a delivery, but in the end the safety of both the truck, crew, and environment are more important than any one delivery. Let’s work together to make this winter delivery season safe.
To Your Warmth,
MARY