Winter Weather Preparedness

Carneys Point, NJ, February 1, 2011 — The American Red Cross Salem County Chapter is keeping a close eye on the winter storm expected to bring a wintery mix to New Jersey.  Many of these winter storms are accompanied by dangerously low temperatures and sometimes by strong winds, icing, sleet and freezing rain.

The Red Cross is coordinating response efforts with government and community partners and has additional workers on stand-by to help if needed. “Red Cross Chapters throughout the Jersey Coast Region, including the Salem County Chapter are prepared to provide support to the community if necessary,” said Executive Director Joyce Skradzinski.

The Red Cross has these safety tips people should follow during the current cold weather.

At home:

Use generators correctly – never operate a generator inside the home, including the basement or garage. Do not hook up a generator directly to the home's wiring. The safest thing to do is to connect the equipment needed directly to the outlets on the generator.

• Prevent frozen pipes - when the weather is very cold outside, open cabinet doors to let warm air circulate around water pipes. Let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes.
• Don’t forget family pets – bring them indoors.  If that’s not possible, provide adequate shelter to keep them warm and make sure they can get to unfrozen water.
• Avoid using a stove or oven to heat the home. Keep a glass or metal fire screen around the fireplace and never leave a fireplace fire unattended.
• If using a space heater, place it on a level, hard, nonflammable surface. Turn the space heater off when leaving the room or going to sleep. Keep children and pets away from the space heater and do not use it to dry wet clothing.

On the road:

Carry an emergency preparedness kit in the trunk.

• Keep the car's gas tank full for emergency use and to keep the fuel line from freezing.
• If someone does get stuck, stay with the 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 to help rescuers see the vehicle.
• Keep one window away from the blowing wind slightly open to let in air.