LA CROSSE, Wis. (WXOW) – As colder weather moves into the region, firefighters face new challenges when responding to emergencies.

Sub-zero temperatures can turn even water into a hazard at the scene.

“Conditions out there—when you’re flowing water and everything is freezing up—makes the scene slick," said Bee Xiong, Division Chief of Community Risk Management. "Everybody gear, equipment not working properly because everything is frozen."

Snow and icy roads also slow down emergency response times.

“This time of year, you get all the snow, the roads are narrower, sometimes they might not even be plowed and just the people driving out there," Xiong continued. "We have got to give ourselves a little bit more time, too, because it drops our response times down because you have got to be c

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