Winter weather offers some of the most challenging weather situations people have to deal with that live within the snow belt of the United States. Winter weather and winter storms often change rapidly throughout the storm and present a variety of concerns and risks. The Bluestone Companies are part of the team of people who try to mitigate the impacts and risks that each storm presents. We have enclosed a short preparedness checklist that we thought might be helpful.
Before the Storm
Before the storm approaches it is important that you have an emergency plan/kit that contains these winter specific items:
Ice Melt (pet-safe if you have any cats or dogs).
Check to make sure you have shovel(s) as well as an ice scraper for your car.
Check your heating fuel (Propane, Oil, Wood, etc.) to make sure there is sufficient supply to allow for an extended period of time.
Extra supply of blankets, warm and dry clothing in case of power outages.
Tune in to your local weather station, app or channel to stay up-to-date on the progress of the storm as it approaches.
Plan to remain home and minimize travel to allow for the roads to be properly serviced and treated.
Bring in all pets during the storm.
What to do during the Storm
Plan to remain indoors as much as possible during the storm
When shoveling walkways, driveways, decks, etc., it is very important to avoid over exertion as that can have cardiac implications.
Stretch before you shovel to avoid muscle injury.
Walk carefully on the snow and ice to avoid slipping and falling.
Ensure that you have layers on with the outer layer being waterproof as wet clothing can quickly lead to frostbite.
Watch for signs of frostbite or hypothermia and if any present themself, get appropriate medical help.
If you must travel, then notify a relative or friend when you are leaving and where you are going so they can plan to check in accordingly to confirm a safe arrival.
If you lose power, it will be important to remain calm, assess the situation for heat loss and notify your power company of the outage so they can begin to triage it.
If your pipes freeze in the home, apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water.
Be sure you are aware of the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
Never use a generator, grill, camp stove or other gasoline, propane or natural gas device within the home or garage.
Install carbon monoxide (CO) detectors/alarms in central locations on every level of your home and outside of all sleeping areas to provide an early warning of any carbon monoxide build-up.
If an alarm sounds, move quickly to a fresh-air location outdoors or by an open window or door.
Call for help from a fresh air location and remain there until emergency personnel arrives on scene.
Winter weather is something that must be taken seriously. The experts at Bluestone pride themselves on taking care of our customers across the US Snowbelt. You can count on companies like Bluestone to help you manage your snow removal needs this winter and ensure that your customers, residents and/or employees are safe.
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