Winter Weather Preparedness for Tennesseans

By Janae' Daniels, Red Cross volunteer

Winter has welcomed the new year in with a generous amount of snow and ice the last week. This fickle time of year in Tennessee can wreak havoc on your home, your vehicle, and even your life. It’s important to be prepared.

Before the next winter event occurs make sure you have a plan in place.

If you are stuck at home, here a few tips for heating safety:

• Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.
• Keep children and pets away from space heaters.
• Have furnaces, chimneys, fireplaces, wood and coal stoves inspected and cleaned seasonally.
• Develop a fire escape plan and practice it with everyone who lives in the home.
• Portable heaters and fireplaces should not be left unattended. Turn off space heaters and make sure any embers in the fireplace are extinguished before going to bed or leaving home.

It is recommended you stay home during a winter storm, but if you must get out here a few tips for winter driving:

• Keep an emergency supply kit including warm clothing, water and snacks.
• Keep a windshield scraper and small broom.
• Keep your vehicle’s gas tank full so you can leave right away in an emergency. This also keeps the fuel line from freezing.
• When driving, don’t follow other vehicles too closely. Sudden stops are difficult on snowy roadways.
• Don’t pass road crews or snow equipment. 
• Remember, ramps, bridges and overpasses freeze before roadways.

Here are more general winter safety tips:

• Learn how to protect pipes from freezing.
• Caulk and weather-strip doors and windowsills to keep cold air out.
• Make sure you have enough heating fuel on hand.
• Stay indoors and wear warm clothes. Layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing will keep you warmer than a bulky sweater.
• Walk carefully on snowy, icy sidewalks. Slips and falls occur frequently in winter weather, resulting in painful and sometimes disabling injuries.

To protect your family, animals, and neighbors, consider the following tips to ensure safety around you:

• Assemble an emergency preparedness kit. You can find more information about the kits at redcross.org.
• Keep a warm coat, gloves or mittens, hat, water-resistant boots, and extra blankets and warm clothing for everyone in your household.
• Listen to local area radio or TV stations for the latest information and updates. You can also purchase a NOAA Weather Radio. 
• Be prepared to evacuate if you lose power or heat and know your routes and destinations. Find a local emergency shelter from redcross.org.  
• Safely check on relatives, neighbors, and friends, particularly if they are elderly or if they live alone.

The few first days of January 2022 are breaking winter weather records all over the Middle Tennessee area. Don’t become a statistic and be prepared for winter weather events.  

Visit www.redcross.org for more information, including more winter safety tips. You can also download the free Red Cross Emergency app by searching for ‘American Red Cross’ in app stores or visiting redcross.org/apps.