TYLER, Texas (KETK) – Temperatures bottomed-out in the single-digits and low teens around East Texas. These bitter temperatures impact pipes, cars, and even our first responders.

This morning Tyler firefighters responded to a house fire. Deputy fire marshal, Randy Lee shares what they experienced.

“We weren’t hindered but we were obviously slowed down, everything the water was sprayed on was turning into ice, so the ground was slick, the road was slick, the hose was slick, so everything we were dealing with was obviously cold, uh fuel was gelling up when we came back to fuel up at all our pumps so, it’s the little things like that we have to think about,” said Lee. 

Fortunately, there were no injruies of occupants or firefighters. We also spoke with AAA, about what they have been seeing since the low temperatures have hit.

“Yeah, so you know as the temperatures cool, the oil actually thickens in your engine, it takes a lot more energy for your engine to turnover, that is why you have to make sure that your battery is in good working order and again you can do that by checking the date,” said Joshua Zuber, Texas AAA spokesperson.

He says this weather also impacts the high volume of holiday travel safety.

“AAA Texas is anticipating the nine million people throughout the lone star state are going to be traveling fifty miles or more away from home to celebrate the yearend holiday period,” said Zuber. 

We called several East Texas plumbing businesses who are extremely busy with costumers having frozen pipes.

“We are starting to have a lot of pipes burst, and so a lot of homeowners can’t turn their water off maybe because of their age, or they just don’t know where their meter is,” said Lee. 

This cold weather has impacted everyone, and some more than others. Hopefully it helps prepare even better for the next freeze.