Prepping for Winter Weather Emergencies

Superstorm Sandy is a unequivocal reminder that weather can turn lives upside down. The winter months are no exception. And with a confusing El Niño weather pattern, predicting the weather for this winter is more difficult than usual.

Forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center say a wavering El Niño, expected to have developed by now (late Oct. 2012), makes this year’s winter outlook less certain than previous years.

“This is one of the most challenging outlooks we’ve produced in recent years because El Niño decided not to show up as expected,” said Mike Halpert, deputy director of NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “In fact, it stalled out last month, leaving neutral conditions in place in the tropical Pacific.”

Ross McRoy, president of Enviro-Log, Inc., a leader in eco-friendly products for home heating, and outdoor activities such as camping, hiking and tailgating, urges households to prepare for extreme weather by following important safety tips that can help protect family members.

“Every household should prepare for extreme weather in advance and be ready for loss of power and utilities or worse,” McRoy said. “We encourage every household to have an emergency plan and emergency kits stored in homes and vehicles that are ready for use regardless of season. In situations of flooding or downed power lines, it is important to evacuate the premises and seek shelter elsewhere.”

McRoy stresses some key essentials to make difficult situations more manageable.

Make a family emergency plan. Everyone should know what to do during in an emergency in case all family members are not together. Pick a place to meet and make sure everyone knows the address of the location. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends that you program a family member as “ICE” (In Case of Emergency) in your phone. If you are in an accident and not able to communicate, emergency personnel will often check your ICE listings in order to get a hold of someone you know.

Windsor, Conn., Oct. 30, 2011 -- A pet investigates her back yard transformed by more than a foot of snow during a rare October nor'easter storm in Connecticut. FEMA provides information for caring for your pet during a disaster at: http://www.ready.gov/document/preparing-your-pets-emergencies-makes-sense. Image by Seth Gardner-Gould/FEMA — Windsor, Conn., Oct. 30, 2011 — A pet investigates her back yard transformed by more than a foot of snow during a rare October nor’easter storm in Connecticut. FEMA provides information for caring for your pet during a disaster at: http://www.ready.gov/document/preparing-your-pets-emergencies-makes-sense. Image by Seth Gardner-Gould/FEMA

Have an emergency kit in your house.

One gallon of water per person per day for at least 10 days, for drinking and sanitation in case of emergencies
A 10 day supply of non-perishable food and a manual can opener
A battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert, and extra batteries
A flashlight and extra batteries
A lighter, flint or waterproof matches for starting fires
Candles
Firelogs* or firewood to be used for home heating and cooking (*only brands approved for cooking)
A first-aid kit
Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
A laminated area map and compass
A cell phone with an extra battery or solar charger
A LAN-line phone that operates without electrical power
Any special-needs items for children, seniors or people with disabilities
Water and supplies for pets
Supply of critical medicines and prescriptions

Carry a survival kit in your vehicle.

A first-aid kit
Blankets or sleeping bags
A cellular phone or two-way radio
A windshield scraper with snow brush
Flashlight with batteries
Extra winter clothes including shoes, hats and gloves
Compact shovel
Traction aids (bag of sand or cat litter) and tow chain
Emergency flares
Jumper cables
Non-perishable food and bottled water
A laminated road map
A transportable non-restrictive heat source such as firelogs (firewood cannot be transported by law in some locations)
Do not store liquid fuels in your car
Any special-needs items for children, seniors or people with disabilities, who might be travelling with you
Water and supplies for any pets travelling with you

McRoy also encourages families to use extra caution and follow proper safety guidelines when operating portable generators. McRoy recommends following Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines on proper generator use.

For additional information on preparing for extreme winter weather, please visit:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/guide.asp
Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) — www.ready.gov/winter-weather
Red Cross – www.redcross.org/

Laurie Lee Dovey

Laurie Lee Dovey is a life-long traditional outdoor sports enthusiast and highly awarded writer and photographer. She is an avid hunter, angler, and RVer.

During her 30-year communications career she has had more than 1,700 magazine articles and hundreds of images published. She also served as a magazine editor, columnist, and photographer, newspaper columnist, television scriptwriter, and video series host talent.

Laurie Lee covers all aspects of the outdoors but often is heralded as a specialist in turkey and small-game hunting, saltwater fishing, camping and RVing, and outdoor industry business.

She primarily lives and travels the U.S. in a refurbished 1971 Silver Eagle bus, but occasionally settles in in Western, Pennsylvania for several months at a time. Her road warrior companions are her husband and four dogs.