The Red Cross sent this release over to us this morning. We wanted to share it with you on this frigid Monday.
AMARILLO, TEXAS - Sub-freezing temperatures and a significant chance of freezing precipitation hit Texas Sunday night. The American Red Cross urges families to take precautions to keep safe and warm at home and on the road. "This kind of weather often results in power outages" says Martha Riddlespurger. "Four out of seven home fires occur in January and February and it’s important to guard against of home heating hazards, dress appropriately and prepare for cold weather emergencies."
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.
Out in the cold:
Dressing in several layers of lightweight clothing keeps someone warmer than a single heavy coat.
Mittens provide more warmth to the hands than gloves. Wear a hat, preferably one that covers the ears.
Wear waterproof, insulated boots to keep feet warm and dry and to maintain one’s footing in ice and snow.
For more information on how to stay safe and warm this winter, visit www.redcross.org.
About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.
