First Responders Remain Business As Usual Despite Freezing Temps

ST. CLOUD -- While schools and businesses have closed due to the chilling temperatures, first responders continue to brave the elements.

Gold Cross Operation Supervisor Elie Deeb says while operations and procedures remain the same in the subzero temperatures, there is a sense of urgency when working in the cold.

There is a heightened urgency where we don't want to be outside in these frigid temps for a long time and we want to get the patient on our stretcher with blankets and in our trucks to the hospital as fast as we can.

Police officers, paramedics and fire fighters are set the brace the elements when an emergency arises. Steve Wunderlich is with the St. Cloud Fire Department. He says while the temps have an effect on the staff, the cold is just as hard on the trucks.

We have to try to get the trucks back in as quick as we can while still completing the call because everything freezes a lot faster at these temperatures.

Deeb and Wunderlich both say service calls have remained about the same despite the cold temperatures.

They add while their response times may be slowed by the weather, they are still out there responding to emergencies.