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Prepare for a Winter Storm
Have extra blankets on hand.
- Ensure that each member of your household has a warm coat, gloves or mittens, hat, and water-resistant boots.
Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit Containing--
- First aid kit and essential medications. Battery-powered NOAA Weather radio, flashlight, and extra batteries. Canned food and can opener. Bottled water (at least one gallon of water per person per day to last at least 3 days). Extra warm clothing, including boots, mittens, and a hat. Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit for your car, too.
- Have your car winterized before winter storm season.
Stay Tuned for Storm Warnings. . .
- Listen to NOAA Weather Radio and your local radio and TV stations for updated storm information.
Know What Winter Storm WATCHES and WARNINGS Mean
- A winter storm WATCH means a winter storm is possible in your area. A winter storm WARNING means a winter storm is headed for your area.
- A blizzard WARNING means strong winds, blinding wind-driven snow, and dangerous wind chill are expected. Seek shelter immediately!
When a Winter Storm WATCH is Issued...
- Listen to NOAA Weather Radio, local radio, and TV stations, or cable TV such as The Weather Channel for further updates. Be alert to changing weather conditions.
- Avoid unnecessary travel.
When a Winter Storm WARNING is Issued...
- Stay indoors during the storm. If you must go outside, several layers of lightweight clothing will keep you warmer than a single heavy coat. Gloves (or mittens) and a hat will prevent loss of body heat. Cover your mouth to protect your lungs. Understand the hazards of wind chill, which combines the cooling effect of wind and cold temperatures on exposed skin. As the wind increases, heat is carried away from a person's body at an accelerated rated, driving down the body temperature. Walk carefully on snowy, icy, sidewalks. After the storm, if you shovel snow, be extremely careful. It is physically strenuous work, so take frequent breaks. Avoid overexertion.
- Avoid traveling by car in a storm, but if you must...
- Carry a Disaster Supplies Kit in the trunk. Keep your car's gas tank full for emergency use and to keep the fuel line from freezing.
- Let someone know your destination, your route, and when you expect to arrive. If your car gets stuck along the way, help can be sent along your predetermined route.
- If You Do Get Stuck...
- Stay with your car. Do not try to walk to safety. Tie a brightly colored cloth (preferably red) to the antenna for rescuers to see. Start the car and use the heater for about 10 minutes every hour. Keep the exhaust pipe clear so fumes won't back up in the car. Leave the overhead light on when the engine is running so that you can be seen. As you sit, keep moving your arms and legs to keep blood circulating and to stay warm.
- Keep one window away from the blowing wind slightly open to let in air.
What to Do After a Winter Storm
- Continue listening to local radio or television stations or a NOAA Weather Radio for updated information and instructions. Access may be limited to some parts of the community, or roads may be blocked. Help a neighbor who may require special assistance--infants, elderly people, and people with disabilities. Elderly people and people with disabilities may require additional assistance. People who care for them or who have large families may need additional assistance in emergency situations. Avoid driving and other travel until conditions have improved. Roads may be blocked by snow or emergency vehicles. Avoid overexertion. Heart attacks from shoveling heavy snow are a leading cause of deaths during winter.
- Follow forecasts and be prepared when venturing outside. Major winter storms are often followed by even colder conditions.
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The Red Cross Emergency 72 Hour Kits
Licking county Red Cross has teamed up with Gorgimi LLC to provide what we think is the finest 72 Hour Kit on the market. Not only does it provide all the items you should need for 72 hours, it also floats, it is waterproof, and it can be used as a flotation device. They can be carried as a backpack or a duffel.
Each year, the American Red Cross responds immediately to more than 70,000 disasters, including house or apartment fires (the majority of disaster responses), hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hazardous materials spills, transportation accidents, explosions, and other natural and man-made disasters.
The Good News Is That We Can Help
Although the American Red Cross is not a government agency, its authority to provide disaster relief was formalized when, in 1905, the Red Cross was chartered by Congress to "carry on a system of national and international relief in time of peace and apply the same in mitigating the sufferings caused by pestilence, famine, fire, floods, and other great national calamities, and to devise and carry on measures for preventing the same." The Charter is not only a grant of power, but also an imposition of duties and obligations to the nation, to disaster victims, and to the people who generously support its work with their donations.Red Cross disaster relief focuses on meeting people's immediate emergency disaster-caused needs. When a disaster threatens or strikes, the Red Cross provides shelter, food, and health and mental health services to address basic human needs. In addition to these services, the core of Red Cross disaster relief is the assistance given to individuals and families affected by disaster to enable them to resume their normal daily activities independently.
The Red Cross also feeds emergency workers, handles inquiries from concerned family members outside the disaster area, provides blood and blood products to disaster victims, and helps those affected by disaster to access other available resources
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Make Your Home Fire Safe
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Smoke alarms save lives. Install a smoke alarm outside each sleeping area and on each additional level of your home.If people sleep with doors closed, install smoke alarms inside sleeping areas, too. Use the test button to check each smoke alarm once a month. When necessary, replace batteries immediately. Replace all batteries at least once a year. Vacuum away cobwebs and dust from your smoke alarms monthly. Smoke alarms become less sensitive over time. Replace your smoke alarms every ten years.Consider having one or more working fire extinguishers in your home. Get training from the fire department in how to use them.
- Consider installing an automatic fire sprinkler system in your home.
Plan Your Escape Routes
Escape Safely
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Once you are out, stay out! Call the fire department from a neighbor's home. If you see smoke or fire in your first escape route, use your second way out. If you must exit through smoke, crawl low under the smoke to your exit. If you are escaping through a closed door, feel the door before opening it. If it is warm, use your second way out.
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If smoke, heat, or flames block your exit routes, stay in the room with the door closed. Signal for help using a bright-colored cloth at the window. If there is a telephone in the room, call the fire department and tell them where you are.
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Coping with Power Outages
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Turn off electronic devices – Turn off electrical appliances or equipment that were powered on when the electricity went out. Leave one light turned on to easily determine when power has been restored.
Only use a battery powered lights – Due to the extreme risk of fire, do not use candles during a power outage and opt instead for flashlights or other battery-powered lights.
Use generators outside ONLY – Do not run a generator inside a confined space, like home or garage due to the extreme dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Follow directions for connecting to a generator – If you use a generator, connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator. Do not connect a generator to a home's electrical system unless you have an approved power transfer switch installed.
Eliminate unnecessary travel – Traffic signals stop working during an outage, creating traffic congestion.
Listen to local and emergency officials – Use a portable, battery-operated radio or television to listen to the local radio and television stations for updates, and follow instructions from emergency officials.
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Keep refrigerator doors closed – Avoid opening the refrigerator and freezer to keep the contents cold.
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An unopened refrigerator will keep foods cold enough for a couple of hours at least. A freezer that is half full will hold for up to 24 hours and a full freezer for 48 hours.
If it looks like the power outage will be for more than 2-4 hours, pack refrigerated milk, dairy products, meats, fish, poultry, eggs, gravy, stuffing and left-overs into your iced down cooler.
If you must eat food that was refrigerated or frozen, check it carefully for signs of spoilage.
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When the power returns, check temperatures. If the food in the freezer has ice crystals and is not above 40 degrees you can refreeze. Perishable foods in the refrigerator should not be above 40 degrees F. for more than two hours. A full food safety chart is available on Redcross.org, but “when in doubt, throw it out.”
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Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit
If you need to evacuate your home or are asked to "shelter in place," having some essential supplies on hand will make you and your family more comfortable. Prepare a disaster supplies kit in an easy-to-carry container such as a duffel bag or small plastic trash can. Some important items to include:
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"special needs" items for any member of your household (infant formula, diapers, or items for people with disabilities or older people)
first aid supplies (including prescription medications)
change of clothing for each household member
a sleeping bag or bedroll for each person
a battery powered radio or television and extra batteries (check batteries often)
non-perishable food
bottled water
tools
- It is also a good idea to include some cash and copies of important family documents (birth certificates, passports and licenses) in your kit.
Copies of essential documents-like powers of attorney, birth and marriage certificates, insurance policies, life insurance beneficiary designations and a copy of your will-should also be kept in a safe location outside your home as well. A safe deposit box or the home of a friend or family member who lives out of town is a good choice.
For more complete instructions, ask your local Red Cross chapter for the brochure titled Your Family Disaster Supplies Kit (stock number A4463).
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Tornado Safety
Prepare a Home Tornado Plan
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Pick a place where family members could gather if a tornado is headed your way. It could be your basement or, if there is no basement, a center hallway, bathroom, or closet on the lowest floor. Keep this place uncluttered.
- If you are in a high-rise building, you may not have enough time to go to the lowest floor. Pick a place in a hallway in the center of the building.
Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit Containing:
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First aid kit and essential medications.
Canned food and can opener.
At least three gallons of water per person.
Protective clothing, bedding, or sleeping bags.
Battery-powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries.
Special items for infant, elderly, or disabled family members.
- Written instructions on how to turn off electricity, gas, and water if authorities advise you to do so. (Remember, you'll need a professional to turn natural gas service back on.)
Stay Tuned for Storm Warnings
When a Tornado WATCH Is Issued...
When a Tornado WARNING Is Issued...
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If you are inside, go to the safe place you picked to protect yourself from glass and other flying objects. The tornado may be approaching your area.
If you are outside, hurry to the basement of a nearby sturdy building or lie flat in a ditch or low-lying area.
- If you are in a car or mobile home, get out immediately and head for safety (as above).
After the Tornado Passes...
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Watch out for fallen power lines and stay out of the damaged area.
Listen to the radio for information and instructions.
Use a flashlight to inspect your home for damage.
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Do not use candles at any time.
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Become a Disaster Services Volunteer
Disaster Volunteers help citizens here in Licking County, in Ohio and at the National level. We train volunteers to be ready to help. To become a disaster volunteer, please contact our office. After submitting an application, you will be direct to the online training "Introduction to Disaster Services". The online course is located at: http://www2.redcross.org/flash/course01_v01/
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