Another trick for ice on side walks , and steps is i would use ash out of the fire place and mix some sand or rock salt . also if you burn coal the coal ash is even better , this keeps your boots etc from slips and as the rock salt starts to work the ash and sand makes a good no slip grip ,as the surface is now rough... the OLDE Time way..

After hearing about the Watchman breaking a leg bone from an ice related fall, and then taking a good hard slam myself on ice covered concrete, I started looking for some ice cleats that strap around a conventional winter workboot to eliminate any more slipping and sliding on the ice while getting the firewood. I had a pair of these when I was a kid and used them while ice fishing on the frozen great lakes and they provided me with plenty of traction. Todays model are a rubber wrap around affair that slip over your boots, easy on and easy off, and they have both a heel and sole set of traction cleats that provide positive non slip footing while walking on ice. They are made in the state of Maine. So now that I have purchased these at the surplus store, it has gone up to 60 degrees and the robins have come back for spring but more snow is forecast tonight so I may get a chance to use them this year.