[Air Force Emergency Management logo] ♫ music ♫
[Various b-roll of natural and man-made disasters]
[Be Ready logo] "Winter Storms"
Corey Dobridnia: "This presentation is part of a series to make you aware of the emergencies that could affect
your installation or local community and the steps you can take to ‘be ready’.
Winter storms can range from a moderate snow over a few hours to a blizzard with blinding,
wind-driven snow that lasts for several days. Many winter storms are accompanied by dangerously
low temperatures and sometimes by strong winds, icing, sleet and freezing rain.
Heavy snowfall, icy conditions, and extreme cold can immobilize an entire region overnight.
The National Weather Service refers to winter storms as the “Deceptive Killers”, because most deaths are indirectly
related to the storm through traffic accidents on icy roads and hypothermia from prolonged exposure to the cold.
A severe winter storm is a storm that drops four or more inches of snow during a 12-hour period,
or six or more inches during a 24-hour span. Winter storms often cause power failures,
loss of communication services, and dangerous road conditions. If you know what to do before,
during, and after a winter storm, you can stay safe during its extreme conditions.
First, you should familiarize yourself with the types of advisories, watches, and warnings
issued for winter storms. Advisories are typically issued when weather conditions are expected
to cause significant inconveniences and may create hazardous conditions.
Watches are issued when conditions exist that could potentially affect your area.
Warnings are issued when the condition will, or is already affecting your area.
You should prepare for extremely cold weather every winter in advance. Begin by winterizing
your home to help keep the heat in and the cold out. Ensure your walls and attic are
properly insulated, caulk and weather-strip doors and windows, and install storm windows
or cover your windows with plastic from the inside. This will create an additional barrier
between you and the cold air outside.
Insulate any water lines that run along outer walls to make them less likely to freeze.
But be sure to allow faucets to drip a little during cold weather to avoid freezing.
Running water, even at a trickle, helps prevent pipes from freezing solid. Also, know how to turn
off the main water valves just in case the water lines do freeze or rupture.
House fires and carbon monoxide poisoning pose and additional risk during winter storms
as more people turn to alternate heating sources without taking the necessary safety precautions.
Fire extinguishers and carbon monoxide detectors should be on hand, servicable, and everyone
in your home should know how to use one. It is a good idea to have any heating equipment
and your chimney cleaned and inspected every year.
Having an established emergency supply kit and emergency plan will also help you be prepared.
Water is one of the most important items in your kit. Your kit needs to have at least
one gallon of water per person, per day for at least three to five days.
Don't forget about any pets. You can survive for eight weeks without food but only three to five days without water.
Also, have a radio available so you can tune into local news broadcasts
and gather important information. Remember to have extra batteries too!
Make sure your first aid kit is sufficiently stocked to handle any medical emergency you may encounter.
Some of these items can also be found in your home. Include special needs items, such as prescription
medications, eye glasses, contact lens solution, or hearing-aid batteries.
You also want to avoid driving during winter storms, but if you have to, be sure to accomplish
these preparedness actions that often get overlooked; make sure you will be able to
clean your windshield with an easily accessible ice scraper or broom, keep your gas tank near
full during winter months to avoid problems with ice building up in tank and fuel lines.
You should replace any worn tires, making sure they have adequate tread.
All-weather radials are usually good for most winter conditions. But some jurisdictions require vehicles be
equipped with chains or studded snow tires.
If you do have to travel in the storm; remember to check the conditions of the roads you will be travelling.
Often, snow and ice conditions, as well as road closures, are broadcast on
your local television and radio stations. You will also need to clean or scrape off
your vehicle to allow maximum visibility. You don’t want to be rushed in hazardous
driving conditions, so be sure to allow enough time to get to your destination safely.
Any travel you do should be done during the day using public transportation, if possible.
Be sure to inform others of your schedule and planned route, in case of emergencies
or unexpected road closures.
When winter storms do take hold of your community, be sure to keep tuned to news or weather channels
to receive important updates. It's also important to stay indoors and out of the elements, and
be sure to wear warm, layered clothing! You should also conserve fuel and energy the best
you can by closing unused rooms, lowering your thermostat to 65 degrees during the day,
and 55 degrees at night.
If the pipes leading to or inside your home DO freeze; remove any insulation or layers
of newspapers and wrap pipes in rags. You will then want to completely open all faucets
and pour hot water over the pipes, starting where they were most exposed to the cold,
or where the cold was most likely to penetrate.
If you have to go outside, dress warm and make your trips as brief as possible.
Shoveling snow can be very strenuous, and you should do a few stretching exercises to warm up your body first.
Cold weather puts an extra strain on the heart too. So if you have heart disease
or high blood pressure, follow your doctor’s advice about performing strenuous activities in the cold.
While outside in the cold, remember to cover your mouth in order to protect your
lungs from extremely cold air. As it can cause shortness of breath and even trigger an asthma attack.
In cold environments, your body begins to lose heat faster than it can be produced.
Prolonged exposure to cold will eventually use up your body’s stored energy, resulting
in abnormally low body temperature or, hypothermia.
In addition to hypothermia, frostbite is an injury to the body caused by it actually freezing!
Frostbite can permanently damage the body, and severe cases can even lead to amputation.
It causes a loss of feeling and color in affected areas. And most often affects the nose, ears,
cheeks, chin, fingers, or toes.
Once a winter storm passes, notify family and friends of your situation and continue
to use phones sparingly. Continue to monitor local news and weather channels to get important updates.
You should also assist those nearby during the recovery period.
A good source for winter storm information is the Air Force’s “Be Ready” Mobile App.
It has an emergency supply kit listing, important links, and contact information.
It’s an extremely useful tool to have on your mobile device.
Hopefully this information has helped you better prepare for what to do before, during,
and after a winter storm. For more information, please take time to visit your installation’s
Office of Emergency Management, the “Be Ready” web site, download the “Be Ready”
Mobile App, or pick up an Air Force Emergency Preparedness Guide. This has been Corey Dobridnia
reporting for the Emergency Management Division of the Air Force Civil Engineer Center.
Stay Safe and Be Ready!
[Be Ready logo] www. BeReady.af.mil