Winter Storm Checklist for your Carney Maryland Family

1/16/2018 (Permalink)

Make sure your family is ready for a winter storm to strike. Here is a list of items from the Center of Disease Control (https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/beforestorm/supplylists.html)

• Make sure you have at least one of the following in case there is a power failure:
  • Cell phone, portable charger, and extra batteries.
  • Battery-powered radio, with extra batteries, for listening to local emergency instructions
• Drinking water
• Canned/no-cook food (bread, crackers, dried fruits)
• Non-electric can opener
• Baby food and formula (if baby in the household)
• Prescription drugs and other medicine
• First-aid kit
• Product that melts ice on walkways
• Supply of cat litter or bag of sand to add traction on walkways
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Battery-powered lamps or lanterns
  (To prevent the risk of fire, avoid using candles.)
• Use battery-powered flashlights or lanterns.
• Never use charcoal grills or portable gas camp stoves indoors. The fumes are deadly.
• Avoid using candles as these can lead to house fires.
• If you do use candles, never leave lit candles alone.

• Turning on the stove for heat is not safe; have at least one of the following heat sources in case the power goes out:
  • Extra blankets, sleeping bags, and warm winter coats
  • Fireplace that is up to code with plenty of dry firewood or a gas log fireplace
  • Portable space heaters or kerosene heaters
• Check with your local fire department to make sure that kerosene heaters are legal in your area.
• Use electric space heaters with automatic shut-off switches and non-glowing elements.
• Never place a space heater on top of furniture or near water.
• Never leave children unattended near a space heater.
• Keep heat sources at least 3 feet away from furniture and drapes.
• Have the following safety equipment:
  • Chemical fire extinguisher
  • Smoke alarm in working order (Check prior to winter storm season and change batteries, if needed.)
  • Carbon monoxide detector (Check prior to winter storm season and change batteries, if needed.)
• Generators should be located at least 20 feet from any window, door or vent and in a space where they rain or snow will not reach them. 
• Never use an electric generator indoors, inside the garage, or near the air intake of your home because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Do not use the generator or appliances if they are wet.
• Do not store gasoline indoors where the fumes could ignite.
• Use individual heavy-duty, outdoor-rated cords to plug in other appliances.