You need to know the time you have to prepare for a severe winter storm before news spreads about it.
These tips will help you get through severe winter storms, regardless of whether you are facing extreme amounts of snow, sleet or ice.
* Keep yourself informed. One resource for emergency information is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Weather Radio Station. IRIS is an acronym for Immediate Respond Information System. It has been adopted by more areas.www.useiris.com. The IRIS system instantly relays information to thousands of citizens when an emergency situation arises via multiple channels, including cell phone, email, PDA, and pager. You can contact the system in any weather conditions, even winter. It communicates in more languages than 10, so it is possible to reach people in all kinds of weather. Ask local officials if your county has adopted the IRIS system. If not, encourage them to do so.
* Keep warm. You can gather any extra blankets that you might have and ensure that everyone in your household has a warm coat, hat, gloves, and water-resistant boots.
* Watch your water supply. Make sure you have plenty of bottled water for drinking and that you buy at least 1 gallon per person each day. Extreme cold can sometimes cause frozen pipes or even broken pipes. Make sure you only open the tap to let some water out.
* Assemble a disaster supply kit. The following items should be included in your kit: a first aid kit, essential medications, including prescription medication, a flashlight, extra batteries, canned food, bottled water, and additional warm clothes. You should also have a winter disaster kit.
