It’s Not Too Late To Prepare For A Frozen Weekend

COMMUNITY NEWS

Freezing rain. A couple of inches of snow. Ice. While different weather forecasts disagree on the details of what’s ahead for the Triangle, they’re unanimous that winter will slam us hard,

If you’re already stocked up on food, medicine, and other necessities, congratulations. If not, here are suggestions collected from ABC 13, the National Weather Service and the Red Cross.

Loss of power

Ice is the issue: as WCNC says, when power lines ice over, the weight can cause them to snap. Half an inch of ice can add 500 pounds. Even small amounts may be enough to break the lines and trigger a power outage. To prepare for power outages, keep your cell phones, laptop computers, and other portable electronic devices plugged in and fully charged for as long as possible. If you have flashlights to use when the power goes out, buy spare batteries.

If you use a space heater or a generator, make sure you have enough fuel to keep it running. Read the instructions carefully to ensure you operate your equipment safely. If you’re using a fireplace, do you have enough wood? Make sure anything you use for a heat source is carefully ventilated.

A battery-powered radio can help you receive weather and other news, even if you can’t get television or the Internet.

Dress warmly, rather than a single piece of thick, heavy clothing, the Weather Service recommends multiple layers. Each layer will trap an insulating layer of air, protecting you from the cold.

Cold is a fire hazard.

Fire might sound like the last thing you need to worry about. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says there’s an increased risk of fire in winter due to the use of space heaters and candles. There’s also an increased risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from whatever heat source you rely on. At the link, the NFPA offers safety tips:

Keep anything you can burn at least three feet away from the heating equipment. Keep your children at the same distance.
Turn portable heaters off when you leave a room or go to bed.
Test your smoke alarms.
Keep candles a foot away from anything that could catch fire.
Blow candles out when you go to bed.
Put candle holders on an uncluttered surface.
During and after a snowstorm, make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow build-up.

What will you eat?

If the weather warms up before your power comes back on, be careful about food safety. The federal government says to discard meat, poultry, fish, cheese, or milk after two hours at 40 degree temperatures or more. Many cooked foods will have to go too. Uncut fruit and vegetables can stay.

Your freezer will keep food safe for 24 hours, or 48 hours if it’s full. Placing extra cold packs or bottles of water in the freezer can help fill it up. Items in the fridge will only stay safely cold for a few hours.

If you make it to the grocery store, stock up on stuff that doesn’t depend on refrigeration: dry cereal, fruits, single-serving cans of fruit, powdered milk, granola bars, and cookies or snack foods.

Animals get cold, too

If you have outdoor cats, bring them inside before it gets too cold. If your home loses power and grows cold, find some way to bundle up your pets and keep them warm. Double-check that you have enough pet food. Don’t wait until it’s too late to get out and buy more.

If your pets or your family need regular medication, make sure you have enough to last until the roads are safe to drive on again.

Protect your pipes

If the water in your pipes freezes, it will expand and possibly wreck the plumbing. One simple way to prevent this is to open up your taps enough that the water is constantly dripping. Even a slight flow of water through the pipes can prevent freezing. You should also detach and drain any hoses you use outside. You can reduce the risk by keeping your thermostat set at the same temperature night and day, rather than lowering it at night.

Fraser Sherman has worked for newspapers, including the Destin Log, the Pensacola News-Journal and the Raleigh Public Record. Born in England, he’d still live in Florida if he hadn’t met the perfect woman and moved to Durham to marry her. He’s the author of several film reference books and has published one novel and several short story collections. This reporter can be reached at: Information@TheLocalReporter.press