Wolf, 
Cable Firm 
Will Meet 
Session Scheduled For 
Feb. 2 Is Prompted By A 
Programming Dispute That 
Could Affect 28,000 Local

Anna Kudey 
Jan. 7, 1994 
Anna Stupak Kudey, Formerly Of Dupont, Died Friday At Mountainview Care 
Center, Scranton.

By KELLY KURT; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Monday, January 10, 1994 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1 &amp; 4C QUICK WORDS: SAFETY 





steep slope. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A slick inner tube. A chance to fly without wings. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Fingers dig deep into the snow, launching the craft like a rocket. Faster
and faster, frontwards, now backwards, a downhill spiral. The tube hits a
drift. You hit the ground. Boom! &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 What a ride. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Snow calls, and even the cautious turn daredevil. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Kids run into trees, or they lose control and tumble off. Sometimes adults
land on children," says Dr. Melita Konecke, explaining why fun days of
sledding often end in Nesbitt Hospital's emergency room. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Winter snow activities can be fun as long as they're safe." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Safety, &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 smafety, &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 the white stuff mocks. Just come out and play. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Slide down me, roll in me, shovel me for hours. Pack me into a hard ball
and pummel your little brother. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Just use common sense, so you don't get hurt," Konecke cautions. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That common sense begins inside. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The thermometer may read 25 degrees, but the wind chills the air to well
below zero. Multiple layers of clothing will keep you the warmest. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "The best insulator is air. By layering, you create more and more air
spaces with each layer of clothing," says Paul Mirzwa, owner of Uncle
Eyeball's Mountain Travelers' Emporium in Kingston. "If you just wear one big
heavy jacket, it can trap body moisture and make you cold." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Most importantly, keep those hands, feet, noses, ears and heads covered,
Konecke says. Frostbite nips the extremities first, and most body heat is lost
through an uncovered head. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Build a snowman, launch a snowball war, ski through the woods. Time passes
quickly, dangerously, if you stay out too long in this winter weather. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Go out in short intervals," Konecke says. "Children should come in every
half hour or so and warm up. They don't always know when they are cold, or
they don't tell you when they are cold." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Once outside, don't end up using those cap-covered noggins to stop a
runaway sled. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 When sleigh riding, choose a hill free of trees and boulders and other
obstacles, she says. Don't pile every member of the family on a sled designed
for one -- unless you want to crush each other. And sliding head-first can be
dangerous, especially if you fail to follow her first suggestion. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And no running down other sledders. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Make sure other people are out of your way before leaving the top of the
hill, says Rayford Williams of the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks. "Be
cautious and courteous." In other words, human bowling is forbidden. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Most state parks offer good hills for sleigh riding, and some, including
Francis Slocum State Park, boast lakes perfect for ice skating and ice
fishing. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But always check the ice first to make sure it's at least four inches
thick, says Frank Kann of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Black ice is better than milky ice, he says, and avoid stepping on the
weaker ice around stumps and rocks. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 If you see someone fall through the ice, don't rush in to help or you'll
end up in the same bad spot. Throw them a rope or a tree limb and gently pull
them out. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Really, the smart thing to do if you're on a lake is to wear a flotation
device," Kann says. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Figure eights in a life preserver? Speeding along on a snow mobile may be
more your thing. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's always fun to blaze a new trail," says Denny Blocker, a snow mobile
safety instructor in Lehighton, "but never go out night where you haven't been
during the day." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Stick to marked paths in state parks, he says. Hidden boulders, wires,
fences and chains across roads can be deadly to snow mobilers. And riders
should always protect their faces from windburn and wear helmets as required
by state law. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But you're no snow-mobiling hotdog. You just need to get the drive
shoveled. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Even working in the snow can be a health hazard, Konecke says, especially
for those with heart problems. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Using a snow blower or shoveling snow ... is strenuous work, even for a
healthy person," she says. "Most people don't realize it, and everyone thinks
it has to get done right away." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Too many rules, too much preaching, and we will have stolen the fun of
snow. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But one final rule, one of the most important, will ensure you are able to
enjoy that cup of hot chocolate after a day in the white stuff. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Always use the buddy system," Kann says. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Take along a friend so that if one person gets in trouble in this frosty
weather, the other can go for help. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Besides, a downhill thrill ride, a good snowball fight, a whirl on a
snowmobile -- shouldn't the fun be shared?