Spring has arrived early this year and already the snow has begun to melt.
This means certain things that the snow use to cover are now beginning to reappear, including used needles.
The Prince Albert Fire Department wants to remind residents that when they come across a used discarded needle there are certain safety measures that should be taken.
“They can go to our website www.pafire.ca and we have under our safety measures what to do when you find a needle,” said Joe Zatylny deputy chief of operations and logistics for the Prince Albert Fire Department. “And it gives a step by step instruction on what to do and how to safely dispose of it.”
“What we tell children if they find a needle is to stand clear and tell an adult immediately and make sure that none of the littler people that are with them go and grab the needle, they should never touch it or pick it up,” he added.
When dealing with discarded needles adults should always make sure to wear gloves before attempting to discard of it.
“What they can do is grab a small hard container that the needle won’t poke through like a pop bottle or plastic container that has a lid and using a pair of gloves, preferably leather they can pick up the needle,” said Zatylny.
Zatylny said If a passer byer finds a needle in a public area and they are uncomfortable disposing of it themselves they should notify the Prince Albert Fire Department.
“Every year we generally have one person 24 hours a day responding to needle calls and they will gather anywhere from 2 to 3 thousand needles (a year),” he said
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