First Taste of Winter Weather a Reminder to Get Prepared

Street scene in Marion on November 17, 2014.
Photo by Candice DeWitt

The forecast for the next several days looks more like January than November and is a not-so-subtle reminder that winter is coming. The Ohio Department of Aging joins the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness in promoting Nov. 16-22, 2014, as Winter Safety Awareness Week, and encourages older Ohioans and their caregivers to take steps now to prepare for winter’s worst.

“About the only thing you can predict about an Ohio winter is that it will be unpredictable,” said Bonnie K. Burman, director of the Ohio Department of Aging. “As we age, it often becomes harder for us to adapt to extreme and changing weather conditions. That’s why planning ahead and being prepared is so important. Ensuring the safety of Ohio’s most vulnerable residents is our plan, and we ask that you have a plan, too.”

To make sure you’re ready for winter, have a plan that will allow you to remain in place for at least three days should you be unable to leave your home due to weather conditions:

• Emergency Supplies – Create an emergency kit that contains: a battery operated radio, a flashlight, extra batteries, a signaling device (such as a loud whistle, horn or bell), food that you can open and prepare easily, water (one gallon per person per day), extra blankets and a first aid kit. Make sure you have access to a phone that will work if the electricity goes out.
• Medications – Keep a backup supply of the medications you take every day (check expiration dates every couple of months and replace if necessary). Ask your doctors for extra copies of your prescriptions for your emergency kit. Have an ice chest on hand and keep ice packs in the freezer for medications that need to be kept cool. Keep a backup stash of medical supplies such as bandages, alcohol, etc.
• Equipment and Assistive Devices – Make sure your medical equipment and assistive devices (such as canes, walkers, wheelchairs, lifts, oxygen tanks, etc.) are easy to locate in an emergency. Have spare batteries or non-powered options for any equipment that will not work if there is no electricity. Keep written instructions on how to operate and move your medical and adaptive equipment in your kit.
• Readiness – Know where the main valves and switches are for gas, water and electricity, and make sure you can operate them. Have at least one fire extinguisher and know how to use it. Designate a safe place to go (such as a friend or neighbor’s house or shelter) and have a plan for getting there if it becomes unsafe to stay in your home.
• Reasonable accommodations – Be prepared to quickly explain to rescue personnel how to move you or help you move safely and rapidly (e.g., “take my oxygen tank,” “get my insulin from the refrigerator”).

The Ohio Department of Aging works with the state’s 12 area agencies on aging to make sure that each community has a plan for assisting older adults during weather emergencies. Your area agency can also help you identify resources, such as energy assistance, chore service and minor home repairs, that can help you stay warm and safe this winter. Call 1-866-243-5678 to be connected to the agency serving your community, or visit www.aging.ohio.gov for local contacts.

Gov. John R. Kasich and the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness (OCSWA) are encouraging household and businesses to update their safety plans, replenish their disaster supply kit, and prepare themselves and their property for winter-related incidents.

“When you’re snowed in and the power is out, that is not the ideal time to organize a disaster supply kit,” said Nancy Dragani, Executive Director of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency. “Winter Safety Week is a good time to update your kits – check the expiration dates of your nonperishable food; stock up on bottled water; renew first aid kits and medications; check the batteries in flashlights, radios and smoke detectors; and gather blankets and warm clothing.”

Winter Safety Awareness Week is also a good time to ensure your vehicles are ready for the extreme cold. Is your car or truck due for a tune up? Have the battery, belts, wiper blades and tires checked.

Also, know before you go. Pay attention to weather forecasts and traffic reports. Listen for reports of school and business closings, snow emergencies, traffic delays or road closures. Plan your drive time accordingly.

To help prepare for winter, OCSWA recommends the following:

• Prepare your home for winter. Cut and remove low-hanging and dead tree branches. Ice, snow and strong winds can cause tree limbs to break and fall. Have your gutters cleaned. Snow and ice can build up quickly if gutters are clogged with debris. Have auxiliary heaters, furnaces and fireplaces maintenance checked or serviced before using. If using a portable generator, read instructions thoroughly to guard against carbon monoxide poisoning. Review your homeowner’s insurance policy; consider your need for flood insurance.
• Prepare winter disaster kits for the home and vehicle. Refresh stored nonperishable foods and bottled water. Change the batteries in your smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and radios. Winter emergency kits should include warm clothing, blankets, flashlights, new batteries, coats, hats, gloves, a battery-operated or hand-cranked radio, first aid kit, and enough nonperishable food and water (one gallon per person, per day) to sustain every family member for several days. Have stored food, bottled water and supplies for your pets, as well.
• Invest in a NOAA Public Alert/Weather Radio. Every home, school and business should have a tone-alert weather radio with a battery back-up. Weather and public alert radios are programmed to automatically sound an alert during public safety and severe weather events. Click on www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/ for additional information.
• Update your disaster preparedness plans. Every home, school, and business should have written plans for the different types of disasters that can occur. Review the plans with the entire family or staff. Everyone should know what to do in the event of a snow or ice storm, a prolonged power outage, a flood or fire. Post contact information for your local emergency management agency. Prepare and practice drills that require sheltering in place and evacuation. Update your emergency contact list and establish a meeting place outside of the home, school or business, where others will know where to find or meet you.

For additional information on winter weather safety and severe weather preparedness, visit OCSWA’s site at www.weathersafety.ohio.gov.