I am Deputy George Bradbury. I work for the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. I am a resident of Harpswell. I live and work among you.
Preparing for winter
That bad four-letter word, snow, will be here soon! Let’s get ready ahead of time.
Have your vehicles checked out. Get proper snow tires — don’t wait till the last minute. The fine for inadequate tires (bald tires) is $150 for one and goes up from there. Studded snow tires can be on vehicles from October to April.
The fine for an operator of a motor vehicle not taking reasonable measures to prevent snow or ice from falling off the vehicle (not cleaning your vehicle off) is $85 for the first offense and $245 for the second.
The fine for plow trucks placing snow and slush on a public way is $205.
Always carry an extra heavy coat, gloves, a hat and a blanket to keep you warm in case your vehicle breaks down or crashes. It can get cold fast waiting for a wrecker.
During storms, do not take unnecessary trips. Give the road crews some room to get the roads cleaned up first. Stock up on food and other needs ahead of the storm.
If you slide off the road with your vehicle or otherwise have an accident, notify the Sheriff’s Office by calling 911 or 800-501-1111. Failure to report an accident by the quickest means is a class E crime, as is leaving the scene of an accident. It could get you arrested.
After storms, check on your neighbors, especially your older neighbors. Let’s help each other out.
Fraud season is upon us. Don’t give out your personal information. Be careful on the internet. Give to groups that help others, like the Harpswell Santa Fund.
Happy holidays! If you would like to suggest items of interest to be discussed, please feel free to message me at bradbury@cumberlandcounty.org. Remember, let’s be safe out there! And don’t get voted off the islands.
Fine print: The views above are the views of Deputy George Bradbury, not of the town of Harpswell or the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
