Winter Storms

Winter storm tips:

• Make sure your emergency survival kit is stocked and winter storm ready.
• Have a week's supply of food on hand.
• Eat regularly and drink ample fluids, but avoid caffeine and alcohol.
• Keep a water supply.  Extreme cold can cause water pipes in your home to freeze and sometimes break.  In case this happens, make sure you have bottled water on hand.
• Listen to radio or television for weather reports and emergency information.
• Buy rock salt to melt ice on walkways and sand to improve traction.
• Make sure you have sufficient heating fuel. Regular fuel sources may be cut off.
• Keep emergency heating equipment and fuel (a gas fireplace, wood burning stove, kerosene heater, or fireplace) so you can keep at least one room of your house warm enough to be liveable.
• If you have a fireplace, store a supply of firewood.
• Keep fire extinguishers on hand, and make sure your family knows how to use them.
• Winterize your home to extend the life of your fuel supply. Insulate walls and attics; caulk and weather strip doors and windows.  Install storm windows or cover windows with plastic.
• Do not overexert yourself or work outside for extended periods of time.
• Limit time outside. When outside, watch for signs of frostbite (loss of feeling and white or pale appearance in extremities) and hypothermia (uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and apparent exhaustion).  If you detect signs of hypothermia in somebody, get the victim to a warm location, remove wet clothing, warm the centre of the body first, and give the person warm, non-alcoholic beverages.  If either frostbite or hypothermia are identified, get medical help as soon as possible.