With cold weather just around the corner, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security is encouraging all Hoosiers to become more equipped during Winter Weather Preparedness Week, November 12-18.
Here are several tips to be actively involved in Winter Weather Preparedness Week.
For your home:
- Make sure homes are well insulated, including proper weather stripping around all doors and windows. If the home is not well insulated, consider using storm windows or plastic coverings on windows to help retain heat.
- Alternative heating and cooking cause many fires in the winter. Make sure to have a fire extinguisher on hand.
- Smoke alarms save lives! Make sure smoke alarms are up to date and placed on each level of the home, as well as outside sleeping areas.
- Know how to shut off water valves properly if a pipe were to burst due to extreme cold.
- Homeowner insurance policies should be reviewed to ensure that coverage is adequate for winter weather.
For your vehicle:
- Have an emergency kit for the car. It should include: a portable phone charger, extra blankets, jumper cables and an ice scraper, just to name a few.
- Make sure all cars have been checked by a mechanic before cold weather hits. The mechanic should check the brakes, heater, defroster, tires and windshield wipers.
- Having a bag of sand can help improve traction for a car stuck on snow or ice.
Hoosiers should use Winter Weather Preparedness Week to create or maintain a home preparedness kit that may be needed during winter storms. Items to include in a preparedness kit include:
- Food and water for three days, including one of gallon of water per person, per day
- Battery or hand crank all hazard (weather) radio and flashlight
- First aid kit and necessary medication
- Extra clothing, shoes and blankets
- Copies of important documents (photo ID, Social Security card, etc.)
For more information on winter weather preparedness and fire safety, visit Get Prepared.IN.gov.