Be Red Cross Ready for Winter Weather
Thursday, January 21, 2010
By: Andrea Fleisher
Today's forecast calls for strong winds, heavy rain, and snow at high elevations throughout Southern Arizona.
Be Red Cross Ready for Winter Weather
TUCSON, January 21, 2010 -- As you know, today's forecast calls for winter weather not often experienced in Southern Arizona.
The American Red Cross Southern Arizona Chapter is committed to
helping you, your family and your coworkers be prepared to respond in
emergency
situations. The following ideas will be most helpful for people living
in or traveling inside of the higher-elevation areas where heavy snow
is predicted.
Avoid traveling by car in a storm, but if you must--
- Carry a Disaster Supplies Kit in the trunk.
- Keep your car’s gas tank full for emergency use and to keep the fuel line from freezing.
- Let someone know your destination, your route, and when you expect
to arrive. If your car gets stuck along the way, help can be sent along
your predetermined route.
If you do get stuck--
- Stay with your car. Do not try to walk to safety.
- Tie a brightly colored cloth (preferably red) to the antenna for rescuers to see.
- Start the car and use the heater for about 10 minutes every hour. Keep the exhaust pipe clear so fumes won’t back up in the car.
- Leave the overhead light on when the engine is running so that you can be seen.
- As you sit, keep moving your arms and legs to keep blood circulating and to stay warm.
- Keep one window away from the blowing wind slightly open to let in air.
Power outages could occur during the high winds, rain, and snow predicted for our area.
Be ready for power outages--
- Perishable foods are no longer safe to keep or eat after they’ve been warmer than 40 degrees for more than 2 hours.
- Red Cross recommends keeping your car’s gas tank at least half-full
at all times, because gas stations rely on electricity to power their
pumps.
- We recommend that you power off or disconnect your home appliances
or equipment until the power is completely renewed. This is because
often when power comes back on it comes in momentary "surges" or
"spikes" that can damage electrical equipment.
- It’s not safe to operate a generator in a house or garage. If you
do use a generator, connect the equipment you want to power directly to
the outlets on the generator and do not connect a generator to a home's
electrical system.
And finally, a good Disaster Supplies Kit contains these items--
- First aid kit and essential medications.
- Canned food and can opener.
- At least three gallons of water per person.
- Protective clothing, rainwear, and bedding or sleeping bags.
- NOAA Weather Radio and portable radio, flashlight, and extra batteries.
- Special items for infant, elderly, or disabled family members.
- Extra warm clothing, including boots, mittens, and a hat.
- Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit for your car, too.
Stay tuned for storm warnings--
- Listen to NOAA Weather Radio and your local radio and TV stations for updated storm information.
"Be Red Cross Ready" highlights three important steps to preparing for
disaster: Make a plan, get a kit, and be informed. These three steps can help us to protect ourselves and our
loved ones whether we face a home fire, natural or man-made disaster or other
unforeseen events. For more information, view the online presentation at www.redcrossarizona.org/preparedness .
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