Winter Weather Preparedness Week Message 3
By Gannon Medwick
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
North Carolina Winter Weather Preparedness Week Continues this Tuesday. Today’s focus is:
IS YOUR HOME PREPARED FOR WINTER?
WE THINK OF OUR HOMES AS THE PLACE WE WANT TO BE WHEN THE WEATHER TURNS COLD AND BLUSTERY. HOWEVER…IF CERTAIN PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN BEFORE A WINTER STORM STRIKES…LIFE AT HOME CAN BE JUST AS MISERABLE AS THE WEATHER OUTSIDE.
SEVERE WINTER STORMS PRODUCE CONDITIONS WHICH CAN ISOLATE YOU IN YOUR HOME FOR SEVERAL DAYS. PROLONGED LOSS OF POWER AND TELEPHONE SERVICES CAN SEVERELY LIMIT YOUR ABILITY TO HEAT YOUR HOME AND CALL FOR HELP. IN SEVERE WINTER STORMS…OBTAINING SUPPLIES OF FOOD AND OTHER NECESSITIES CAN BE HAMPERED OR PREVENTED BY POOR ROAD CONDITIONS. THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME HELPFUL HINTS TO MAKE YOUR HOME A SAFE HAVEN DURING WINTER WEATHER.
DO STOCK AN EMERGENCY SUPPLY OF FOOD AND WATER PRIOR TO THE ONSET OF A WINTER STORM. INCLUDE FOOD ITEMS WHICH REQUIRE NO COOKING SUCH AS CANNED MEATS…PEANUT BUTTER AND OTHER NON PERISHABLES. ALSO DO NOT FORGET TO HAVE NECESSARY MEDICINES AND BABY ITEMS ON HAND. A THREE TO FIVE DAY SUPPLY OF FOOD AND MEDICINE IS GENERALLY SUFFICIENT. ALSO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A MANUAL CAN OPENER.
DO KEEP AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF HEATING FUEL (FIREWOOD…KEROSENE…ETC.) AT YOUR HOME. USE YOUR FUEL SPARINGLY AS SUPPLIES MAY BE IN SHORT ORDER DURING WINTER STORMS. USE HEATERS AND FUELS PROPERLY AND SAFELY IN ORDER TO AVOID DEADLY FIRES AND CARBON MONOXIDE.
DO KEEP ON HAND A FLASH LIGHT…BATTERY POWERED RADIO…EXTRA BATTERIES AND A FIRST AID KIT.
DO PREVENT WATER PIPES FROM FREEZING BY WRAPPING THEM WITH INSULATION OR NEWSPAPER COVERED WITH PLASTIC. IN REALLY COLD WEATHER…LET YOUR FAUCETS DRIP SLIGHTLY TO HELP AVOID FREEZING. IF YOUR PIPES DO FREEZE…REMOVE THE INSULATION AND WARP THE PIPES IN RAGS. OPEN EVERY FAUCET IN THE HOUSE AND POUR HOT WATER OVER THE RAG WRAPPED PIPES. ALSO KNOW HOW TO SHUT OFF YOUR HOMES WATER SUPPLY SHOULD WATER LINES BREAK.
DO KEEP GENERATORS WELL AWAY FROM THE HOME. NEVER RUN A GENERATOR IN YOUR GARAGE OF ANY OTHER ENCLOSED AREA. CARBON MONOXIDE FROM THE EXHAUST OF THE GENERATOR CAN BE A SILENT KILLER. ALSO MAKE SURE YOUR GENERATOR IS PROPERLY WIRED TO YOUR HOME.
DO PRACTICE CARBON MONOXIDE AND FIRE SAFETY IN HOME HEATING. NEVER HEAT YOUR HOME USING A CHARCOAL GRILL…GAS GRILL OR CAMP STOVE. GRILLS AND CAMP STOVES CREATE DEADLY CARBON MONOXIDE FUMES THAT WILL BUILD UP WHEN USED IN YOUR HOME. ALWAYS USE GRILLS OUTSIDE. STRUCTURE FIRES CLAIMED NEARLY THREE THOUSAND LIVES IN 2007 NATIONWIDE. EIGHTY FOUR PERCENT OF THESE FIRE DEATHS OCCURRED IN THE HOME. FIRE IS A REAL DANGER SO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY FAMILY MEMBER KNOWS HOW TO EVACUATE THE HOUSE IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE. MAKE SURE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY DESIGNATE AN OUTDOOR MEETING PLACE IF YOU DO HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR HOME QUICKLY BECAUSE OF A FIRE. BEING PREPARED FOR WINTER WEATHER MEANS HAVING THE NECESSARY INFORMATION TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS. WEATHER FORECASTS PLAY A LARGE ROLE IN THIS DECISION MAKING PROCESS. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RECOMMENDS THAT YOU REGULARLY TUNE INTO NOAA WEATHER RADIO… LOCAL TELEVISION AND LOCAL RADIO IN ORDER TO KEEP ABREAST OF WEATHER CONDITIONS AND FORECASTS THIS WINTER.
Thanks for keeping up with my blog series on winter preparedness this week! More topics will follow in the coming days.
Gannon Medwick
Storm Team 9 Meteorologist
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