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FARMINGTON — Snowblowers are helpful tools but can turn dangerous in a split second if directions aren't followed carefully.
Utah resident Marty Clark recently learned that painful lesson. He has owned a seven horsepower, top-of-the-line John Deere snowblower for several years and says it's his No. 1 winter tool.
"Living this high on the hill you often get a lot of snow," he said. "It's been a snowblower that's worked well."
He has put it to good use during the last two weeks. During Monday's storm, he found out the hard way just how dangerous it can be.
He was snowblowing a sidewalk when the machine became clogged.
"I disengaged the engine," he explained. "Instinctively, when you turn the machine off, you think it's not going to have recoil or torque build up."
But even with the power off, Clark quickly found out he'd made a painful mistake.
"As soon as I put my finger right there, it sucked my hand in," he said.
Apparently, that's not uncommon. Wednesday morning, just 2 miles away in Farmington, a similar incident was reported. Resident Karen Talbot said her neighbor had been using a snowblower next door.
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"There was a frantic knock on my side garage door," she said. "His gloves were all torn up."
Talbot said she transported her neighbor to a hospital. "Just blood everywhere," she said.
Now that man is feeling the same pain Clark felt just over week ago.
"It's life-changing, there's no doubt," he said. Clark, who is right-handed and a pianist, is learning to use his left hand.
He hopes others will see his scars and learn.
"That's living proof of what not to do," Clark said.
If your snowblower gets clogged, experts say a broomstick can help. Never use your hand, even if the machine is turned off.
Clark said hospital personnel told him Monday four other people had already been treated there that day for similar injuries.
