NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan, WI

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...PART 9 OF 9
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI

...PREPARATION FOR WINTER WEATHER...

...WISCONSIN WINTER AWARENESS WEEK IS NOVEMBER 7-11...

ADVANCE PREPARATION IS PERHAPS THE BEST THING PEOPLE CAN DO TO AVOID
PROBLEMS DURING WINTER WEATHER.
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-AT HOME AND WORK...
PRIMARY CONCERNS ARE THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF HEAT... POWER...TELEPHONE
SERVICE...AND A SHORTAGE OF SUPPLIES IF STORM CONDITIONS CONTINUE FOR
MORE THAN A DAY.

-HAVE AVAILABLE...

     - FLASHLIGHT AND EXTRA BATTERIES
     - BATTERY-POWERED NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR AM/FM PORTABLE RADIO
     - EXTRA FOOD AND WATER
     - EXTRA MEDICINE AND BABY ITEMS
     - FIRST-AID SUPPLIES
     - HEATING FUEL
     - EMERGENCY HEATING SOURCE
     - FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND SMOKE DETECTOR
     - CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR

-NOTE...
IF YOU USE A SPACE HEATER... MAKE SURE YOU VENT YOUR HOUSE
TO AVOID THE BUILDUP OF DEADLY CARBON MONOXIDE GASES.  EVEN A FAULTY
FURNACE CAN PRODUCE ODOR-LESS AND TASTELESS CARBON MONOXIDE.  ABOUT
300 PEOPLE DIE ACROSS THE U.S. EACH YEAR DUE TO CARBON MONOXIDE
POISONING. WISCONSIN AVERAGES ABOUT 10 DEATHS PER YEAR.
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-ON THE FARM...
     - MOVE ANIMALS TO SHELTERED AREAS.
     - HAUL EXTRA FEED TO NEARBY FEEDING AREAS.
     - HAVE A WATER SUPPLY AVAILABLE...MOST ANIMAL DEATHS IN WINTER
        STORMS ARE FROM DEHYDRATION.
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-AT SCHOOLS...
     - MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND HAVE A FUNCTIONAL PLAN READY
        WITH REGARD TO CLOSURES DUE TO SNOW...ICE OR EXTREME COLD.
     - ESTABLISH GUIDELINES REGARDING OUTSIDE RECESS DURING EXTREME
        COLD AND WINDY PERIODS.
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-WHEN OUTSIDE...
     - DRESS TO FIT THE SEASON.  WEAR LOOSE-FITTING...LIGHT-WEIGHT...
        WARM CLOTHING IN SEVERAL LAYERS.
     - WEAR A HAT.
     - COVER YOUR MOUTH TO PROTECT YOUR LUNGS FROM EXTREME COLD.
     - WEAR MITTENS. THESE ARE BETTER THAN GLOVES.
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-WHEN TRAVELING OR USING YOUR VEHICLE...
     - IF YOUR VEHICLE BECOMES STRANDED IN THE SNOW WHILE YOU ARE
        TRAVELING IN THE COUNTY.... STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE.  DON/T
        ATTEMPT TO WALK TO A FARMER/S HOME IN THE MIDDLE OF A SNOW
        STORM AND STRONG WINDS.
     - IT IS BETTER TO PERIODICALLY RUN THE VEHICLES ENGINE AND
        HEATER..BUT MAKE SURE YOU OPEN YOUR WINDOW A CRACK...
        AND MAKE SURE THE EXHAUST PIPE IS FREE OF SNOW.
     - ANOTHER GOOD IDEA IS TO TIE A RED OR ORANGE RAG TO THE
        VEHICLE/S RADIO ANTENNA.  THIS MAKES IT EASIER FOR OTHER
        PEOPLE TO LOCATE YOUR VEHICLE.
     - PLAN YOUR TRAVEL AND CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER REPORTS TO AVOID
        THE STORM.
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-VEHICLE WINTER STORM SURVIVAL KIT...
     - FULLY CHECK AND WINTERIZE YOUR VEHICLE BEFORE WINTER.
     - BLANKETS OR SLEEPING BAGS
     - A FLASHLIGHT WITH EXTRA BATTERIES
     - A FIRST-AID KIT
     - A KNIFE
     - HIGH-CALORIE...NON-PERISHABLE FOOD
     - A SMALL CAN AND WATER-PROOF MATCHES TO MELT SNOW FOR DRINKING
     - A BAG OF SAND OR CAT LITTER
     - A SHOVEL
     - A WINDSHIELD SCRAPER AND BRUSH
     - BOOSTER CABLES

KEEP YOUR GAS TANK NEAR FULL TO AVOID ICE IN THE TANK AND FUEL LINES.
THE KEY TO SURVIVING A WINTER STORM IS PREPARATION AND COMMON SENSE.
KEEP AHEAD OF WINTER STORMS BY LISTENING TO THE ALL-HAZARD NOAA
WEATHER RADIO.
NOAA National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office
