December 3, 2014

Winter Storm Safety Tips

Winter is one of my favorite seasons. I like the cold, and love the snow. Winter can be fun and beautiful, but as we see from what happened in Buffalo, it can also be deadly. 2 years ago we had an ice storm that shut down our streets and knocked our power out for 9 days. 9 whole days with no heat, no phones, and no running water. It was scary and since then I have made sure that each winter we are prepared for a winter storm. So today I thought I would share some of my winter storm safety tips with you that way you can become prepared for any bad winter weather heading toward you this year. Lets check them out:

Here are my Winter Storm Safety Tips:

1. Have a checklist! If you are expecting winter storms than it is important that you have a checklist of supplies you might need in case of an emergency and steps to take. Here is a great checklist from the Red Cross for just that.

2. Prepare your home for winter – Being prepared before bad weather hits is much easier than waiting until it’s right on top of you. Make sure you has insulated doors and windows, that you have enough blankets, canned food, and a battery powered weather radio ready yo go in case bad weather strikes.

3. Make a Family Communication Plan. Your family may not be together during an extreme winter event, so it is important to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together, and what you will do during an emergency.

4. Let your water drip. If you are under a freeze warning it’s important to let ALL water taps drip slightly, this will help keep your pipes from freezing.

5. Relax, and try to take it easy. Cold weather puts an extra strain on the heart. If you must trek through the snow or do chores, dress warmly and work slowly.

6. Be careful with fire! If you have a fire place or a space heater make sure to practice common sense and watch what you are doing. A fire is never good, but a fire when the roads are blocked and a fire crew can’t get to you can be deadly.

7. Conserve your energy and resources! When a bad winter storm knocks out your power, you could be without it for a couple of hours, or even a couple of weeks. So make sure you conserve food, water, and energy to make sure you have enough to sustain you.

8. Check in with neighbors! This is important if you have elderly or disabled neighbors that might need your help. But no matter what, checking on your neighbors is a good idea and you can all help each other out!

Winter Storm Safety Tips