How to Prepare Before Winter Storms and Extreme Cold

Add the following supplies to your disaster supplies kit:

• Rock salt to melt ice on walkways.
• Sand to improve traction.
• Snow shovels and other snow removal equipment.

Prepare your home and family

• Prepare for possible isolation in your home by having sufficient heating fuel; regular fuel sources may be cut off. For example, store a good supply of dry, seasoned wood for your fireplace or wood-burning stove.
• Winterize your home to extend the life of your fuel supply by insulating walls and attics, caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic.
• Clear rain gutters; repair roof leaks and cut away tree branches that could fall on a house, barn, shed or any other structure that may provide shelter during a storm.
• Insulate pipes with insulation or newspapers and plastic and allow faucets to drip a little during cold weather to avoid freezing.
• Keep fire extinguishers on hand, and make sure everyone in your house knows how to use them. House fires pose an additional risk, as more people turn to alternate heating sources without taking the necessary safety precautions.
• Learn how to shut off water valves (in case a pipe bursts).
• Check the structural ability of the roof to sustain unusually heavy weight from the accumulation of snow — or water, if drains on flat roofs do not work.
• While away from home for an extended period of time, turn water off and continue to maintain heat during the cold seasons.