Beware of Snow Blowing-Related Injuries

MINNEAPOLIS - Many people have weather-related injuries, especially when trying to clean up the snow on their driveways.

Bob Koehn had a heart attack while he was using his snow blower. Like so many people, Koehn pulled out the blower on Wednesday to clear the snow from his driveway. He finished and was about to do his neighbors when he went inside and called 9-1-1.

Doctor Tom Raya says United Hospital has seen three heart attacks in 24 hours, all from people using snow blowers.

"It probably has something to do with the cold weather which causes constriction of the coronary arteries and may promote plaque rupture what's going on right here when you see a blood clot," said Raya.

At Abbott Northwestern, 80-year-old Robert Schoeder is recovering from a broken hip, after slipping in his garage removing the cord to his snow blower.

For 15 minutes, he laid in the freezing cold waiting for his wife, Beverly. Schoeder yelled for his wife to come out and help him.

Doctors say always tell someone you're going out in the cold because 10 to 15 minutes more Schoeder would not be here.