It’s that time of year when snow is inevitable. Nebraska likes to keep us guessing and teases us with a few days of sunshine, but winter weather is always looming on the horizon.
With the threat of snow, we thought it only fitting to provide you with an arsenal of material to help you stay as warm as possible this weekend! Here are a few tips to prepare and survive snowstorms and extreme cold:
Before the storm:
- Create an Emergency Kit. Ideally, you should be prepared for up to three days of loss of power. That means food and water, as well as any food for pets. You should also be stocked up on medical supplies, and a shovel or salt in order to dig your way out if need be.
- Charge all devices you might be needing.
- Always be sure to have at least half a tank of gas. You never know when you will need to leave or if gas stations will even be open.
- Be sure to have warm clothes easily accessible: several layers of loose warm clothing, boots, mittens – you know the drill.
- Have access to weather alert broadcasts to keep up to date on the movement of the weather.
During the storm:
- Stay indoors if at all possible
- Bring in all furry friends.
- Make sure to have firewood stocked or access to a space heater.
- Be sure you have a working carbon monoxide detector in place especially if using alternative heating elements.
After the storm:
- FIRST: Check on your neighbors in the event of freezing temperatures or snow.
- And lastly, if your home loses power for a long period of time and you do not have adequate supplies to stay warm in your home overnight, you may want to go to a designated public shelter, if you can get there safely. Text SHELTER + your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest shelter in your area (e.g., SHELTER20472)
Stay safe and warm the remainder of this winter season!
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Photo courtesy of fema.gov.