Deep freeze, day one

COEUR d’ALENE — Frozen.

That’s how Stephanie Munger found her car lock Friday after having lunch at Wendy’s.

“The temperatures are unusually cold,” she said. “Well beyond what it normally is.”

Munger moved to North Idaho about five years ago from California. Subzero isn’t something she’s experienced.

“It takes a while before you acclimate,” she said. “It’s been cold, but nothing like this.”

Jim Drayfahl with Schaffer’s Towing responded to Munger’s call for assistance and within minutes, had the door open.

He said the calls started coming in early for dead batteries and frozen locks.

“It’s definitely bitter,” Drayfahl said.

He said they placed a priority on calls from people with broken-down vehicles on the roads over those calling from home.

“They’re safe so I do the ones who aren’t in safe places first,” he said.

Friday was the first of what is expected to be a four-day deep freeze with negative temperatures.

A low of around negative 12 degrees was expected Friday night. The National Weather Service was calling for a low of negative 5 Saturday night, negative 4 Sunday and a low of around 2 degrees Monday night. The weekend high is forecast at about 10 degrees.

Early Friday, Tubbs Hill was devoid of hikers, which was good since its main trail had long, icy stretches. One man stood alone on the shoreline of Lake Coeur d’Alene, enjoying a view of the mist rising above the water.

The streets, too, were fairly empty as folks stayed indoors, but Rodney Mall was walking on Sherman Avenue on Friday afternoon wearing pants, a baseball cap, sunglasses and a T-shirt.

A short-sleeved T-shirt.

“I’ve always ran really warm and it doesn’t bother me,” he said, smiling. “I can feel the chill, but I’m not cold.”

One man, as he walked past Mall, said, "You must be from out of this world."

Mall said he’s completed several Ironmans, has trained in a variety of conditions, sleeps with windows open in the winter and does sauna and cold plunges year-round.

“I think that probably helps,” he said.

Dawna Grove called the subzero conditions, “a mild inconvenience.”

“When you’ve lived here your whole life, that’s what it is,” she said. “It’s winter."

Grove uses a wood stove at home.

“That’s all I have to do, is load the wood stove more,” she said. 

Julie DiMaggio said she used to live in Minnesota, a state known for its harsh winters, so she didn't consider the cold snap much of a worry.

“It’s short-lived,” DiMaggio said. “We can deal with it.”

Alex Paniagua was dressed for conditions as he delivered mail downtown.

He was wearing two thermal shirts, a regular shirt and jacket, thermal pants and snow pants, two pairs of socks, insulated boots, gloves, two neck warmers and a beanie.

“I have like 12 handwarmers,” he said with a grin as he continued on his route.

Friends Rita Popp of Spokane and Colleen Delaney of Seattle were walking on Sherman Avenue when the sun was still shining Friday afternoon. 

“Love the sunshine,” Popp said. “Wish it was a little bit warmer.”

They decided to head outside, despite the icy winds and temperature at zero degrees.

“We are braving the weather to hit the coffee shop and bakery up the street,” Popp said.

Larry Riley, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho, said they extended hours at the Post Falls warming shelter so guests there wouldn’t be left out in the cold. 

Normally, men and women  need to leave the shelter by 7 a.m. but it was changed so they could stay until 9:30 a.m. to put them closer to the opening hours of public libraries, where some go during the day.

The warming shelter has been averaging about 15 to 20 people a night and can accommodate up to 40 men and 20 women, and more if necessary by rolling out cots and sleeping bags.

“We can meet demand,” Riley said 

Craig Etherton, deputy fire marshal with the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department, said his agency responded to a call for a small outside shelter that caught fire about 8 a.m. Friday due to a heat lamp placed inside to warm a miniature horse.

The horse was not hurt and firefighters quickly doused the blaze.

The Hayden Ace Hardware store saw demand for electric heaters and heat tape for pipes.

“We have restocked several times already,” said Becky, a longtime employee who declined to give her last name.

Danny Reyes, general manager with J. A. Bertsch Heating & Cooling, said calls about failing furnaces started coming in early Friday and continued throughout the day. J.A. Bertsch had 32 calls by early afternoon.

With the subzero conditions, they had additional staffing on hand and were working long hours to meet an increase in service calls.

“We haven't had this influx of calls in quite a while,” he said. “I’m sure there will be more."

He said they were able to repair each furnace and get it running again. They also bought some heaters to bring along just in case a furnace couldn’t be fixed.

“Everyone has to have heat,” he said..

For those who must drive, Drayfahl advised them to keep extra blankets and coats in their cars so they can stay warm in case of trouble.

“I see a lot of people running around in sweatshirts,” he said. 

Try as Schaffer’s might, Drayfahl said, “If you break down, we can’t magically show up two minutes later.”

    Rodney Mall smiles as he wears a T-shirt on Sherman Avenue despite Friday's freezing conditions.
  

    Alex Paniagua is bundled up as he delivers mail in downtown Coeur d'Alene on Friday.
  

    Rita Popp, left, and Colleen Delaney make their way to a Sherman Avenue coffee shop on Friday afternoon.
  

    Ice covers a section of Tubbs Hill as the sunlight reflects on Lake Coeur d'Alene on Friday.
  

    Mist rises over Lake Coeur d'Alene and frost covers rocks along the shoreline on Friday.
    

    Canada geese head toward the mist on Lake Coeur d'Alene on Friday.