CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In preparedness for winter weather this season, North Carolina public safety officials want everyone to be ready once temperatures drop and power outages during storm events.
As we see the coldest temperatures in North Carolina for the next three months, state officials say planning ahead can make a big difference this winter.
“Winter weather brings a mix of anything," Katie Webster, assistant director of planning with North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM), said. "Snow, sleet, freezing rain, ice. And having a plan in a blue-sky day allows you to put some intentional thought behind it."
NCEM said a storm kit is your first line of defense before a winter storm hits.
“Go back to that emergency kit that we encouraged people to develop over the summer in hurricane season, and really look at what needs to be refreshed,” Webster said.
She went on to encourage people to replenish any expired non-perishable food items and restock water.
The Department of Public Safety is reminding people to plan, prepare, and stay informed. Make sure to sign up for weather notifications on the WCNC Charlotte app to make sure you’re alerted when there’s severe weather.
Prepare for the season by doing the following:
- Inspect your chimney.
- Caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows.
- Insulate exposed pipes.
- Have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors among other important supplies.
And when it comes to heating your home, do not bring a generator inside. Webster suggests opting for safer ways, such as a wood stove or extra blankets and layers to keep yourself warm if the power goes out.
"The main thing is to not have any of that equipment inside your house where those fumes can build up because that’s what we call an indirect death people heating their homes incorrectly,” Webster said.
Also, if you’re headed to the mountains or roads get messy in the metro, have a kit for your car filled with snacks and water along with a hat and gloves.
Webster shared some other items to include, such as sand or rock salt if you had to get some traction wherever you were, jumper cables or a battery pack for your car to jumpstart, a fire extinguisher if possible, and a blanket. One more thing: keeping a charged cell phone and a full tank of gas are critical.