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Bergen County Snow Totals : Tips for Snow Shoveling Safely

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Shoveling snow might seem like a routine winter task, but according to Hackensack Meridian Health it can pose serious health risks, especially for those with underlying medical conditions or limited physical fitness. Follow these expert tips to stay safe while clearing your driveway or sidewalks.

Continue reading Bergen County Snow Totals : Tips for Snow Shoveling Safely

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Shoveling Snow: Winter Chore or Health Hazard?

Snow Blizzard of 2016 Ridgewood CBD

January 6,2017

by George Becker, M.D., Director, Emergency Department, The Valley Hospital

Ridgewood NJ, Believe it or not, winter has officially begun! And, although there has been a lack of significant snowfall and cold temperatures in our area, we should still be prepared for the possibility of more seasonable weather.

Typical winters in the Northeast are beautiful, especially after a fresh snowfall. However, as many of us know, the arrival of snow means that it is time to dust off our shovels and get to digging! We understand that shoveling snow is our winter norm, but did you know that shoveling snow can actually pose a serious cardiac health risk to some of us?

In fact, although most people are not in danger from shoveling, the American Heart Association (AHA) still shares useful tips for anyone shoveling snow in the winter. To begin with, the AHA recommends that those who don’t exercise on a regular basis, those that have a medical condition, or those that are middle age or older consult with a doctor before shoveling.

The AHA also has the following general tips for staying safe while shoveling:
Take frequent rest breaks during shoveling.
Don’t eat a heavy meal prior or soon after shoveling.
Use a small shovel or consider a snow thrower.
Don’t drink alcoholic beverages before or immediately after shoveling.
Be aware of the dangers of hypothermia.
Learn the heart attack warning signs and listen to your body.
Some signs that you might be having a heart attack are pain in the chest, arm(s), back, neck, jaw or stomach. You might also break out in a cold sweat, feel short of breath, nauseated, lightheaded, or uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness in the center of your chest.

If you are concerned that you may be having a heart attack, you should not hesitate about seeking medical treatment—every minute is crucial when experiencing a heart attack. Call 911 immediately or head directly to the closest emergency room.

Our Emergency Department, located at 223 N. Van Dien Avenue in Ridgewood, NJ is open 24/7, 365 days a year and is staffed with physicians who are board certified in emergency medicine.

Posted on January 17, 2017 by George Becker, M.D., Director, Emergency Department, The Valley Hospital :

https://toyourhealth.valleyhealth.com/blogs/valleyblogs/january-2017/shoveling-snow-winter-chore-or-health-hazard

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Shoveling Snow in Ridgewood this Winter Best to Becarefull

shoveling snow

January 23,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood Nj, according to George Becker, M.D., Director, Emergency Department, The Valley Hospital  although most people are not in any danger from shoveling snow,(https://toyourhealth.valleyhealth.com/blogs/valleyblogs/january-2017/shoveling-snow-winter-chore-or-health-hazard) Doctor Becker tells us that the American Heart Association (AHA) still shares useful tips for anyone shoveling snow in the winter. To begin with, the AHA recommends that those who don’t exercise on a regular basis, those that have a medical condition, or those that are middle age or older consult with a doctor before shoveling.
The AHA also has the following general tips for staying safe while shoveling:

Take frequent rest breaks during shoveling.
Don’t eat a heavy meal prior or soon after shoveling.
Use a small shovel or consider a snow thrower.
Don’t drink alcoholic beverages before or immediately after shoveling.
Be aware of the dangers of hypothermia.
Learn the heart attack warning signs and listen to your body.

Some signs that you might be having a heart attack are pain in the chest, arm(s), back, neck, jaw or stomach. You might also break out in a cold sweat, feel short of breath, nauseated, lightheaded, or uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness in the center of your chest.

If you are concerned that you may be having a heart attack, Doctor Becker says you should not hesitate about seeking medical treatment—every minute is crucial when experiencing a heart attack. Call 911 immediately or head directly to the closest emergency room.

Valley Hospital Emergency Department, located at 223 N. Van Dien Avenue in Ridgewood, NJ is open 24/7, 365 days a year and is staffed with physicians who are board certified in emergency medicine

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In advance of big storm, New Jersey lifts licensing laws for shoveling snow

snow shovel

By Eric Boehm  /   January 20, 2016  /   News  /   25 Comments

Just days ahead of an expected blizzard on the East Coast, New Jersey has officially repealed a nonsensical rule banning the shoveling of snow without a license.

SNOW JOB: Police in Bound Brook, N.J., told two boys, Matt Molinari and Eric Schnepf, they were not allowed to shovel their neighbors’ driveways without a permit. A new state law puts the boys on the right side of the law, and common sense.

Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday signed a bill making it legal for New Jersey residents to offer snow shoveling services without first registering with their town. Last year, two entrepreneurial teens going door-to-door and offering to shovel snow for a small fee were stopped by local police in Bound Brook.

The cops told the two boys, Matt Molinari and Eric Schnepf, they were not allowed to solicit businesses without a permit.

In Bound Brook, that license costs $450 and is only good for a period of 180 days.

After the story made national headlines — including here at Watchdog, where it was featured as our “Nanny State of the Week” story — state lawmakers began working on a solution.

State Sen. Mike Doherty, R-Washington, who sponsored the so-called “right-to-shovel” bill, said it was incredible that some towns wanted teens to pay expensive licensing fees just to clear snow off driveways.

DOHERTY: State Sen. Mike Doherty says government red tape shouldn’t stop kids from making a few bucks by shoveling snow.

“This new law sends the message that kids looking to make a few bucks on a snow day shouldn’t be subjected to government red tape or fined for shoveling snow,” Doherty said.

The bill removes only licensing requirements for snow shoveling services, and only applies to solicitations made within 24 hours before a predicted snow storm. Towns with laws prohibiting door-to-door solicitation will be able to enforce those laws in all other circumstances.

The bill was one of 93 signed by Christie this week, according to the governor’s office. He also vetoed 65 bills.

The governor’s signature comes just in time. Parts of New Jersey could see more than a foot of snow this week as a powerful storm takes aim at the East Coast.

In Bound Brook, there’s no word on whether Molinari and Schnepf are planning to offer their shoveling services again.

If they do, though, they will be on the right side of the law — and common sense.

https://watchdog.org/254518/new-jersey-snow-shoveling-ban/