Clear roads to hospitals

During winter it is both natural and unavoidable for snow, ice and slush to gather on the roads around Spokane. This has proven to be particularly hazardous on the hills leading to Deaconess and Sacred Heart medical centers.

The presence of snow and ice on these hills make it very difficult for cars without four-wheel drive to make the climb without sliding backward. Many drivers eventually park below the hills and walk up to the hospital. This is very dangerous, as many patients are in critical condition and need to be able to access the hospital as quickly as possible.

While these hills do receive treatment from snowplows, they need to be higher on the priority list as it is crucial that all patients can safely get to these hospitals in the midst of poor weather conditions.

If the hills leading up to these hospitals are plowed first and more frequently, it would help patients to receive the care they need more quickly. While making the hospital roads more of a priority takes snow plows off of more frequently used roads like Division Street, it is vital that hospitals are easily accessible to all patients despite the weather.

Jessareh Helm

Cheney