In the Spotlight

Winter and Personal Preparedness

The winter season can create many challenges for veterans and their families. Extremely cold temperatures can occur nationwide even in Florida and Southern California. There are a number of preparations you can take to be prepared.

It is important to keep in mind which unique preparations to take for your safety and comfort using the guidelines below.

0. Dressing for Winter
0. Prepare your Living Space
0. Prepare your Car
0. Health Care Special Needs
0. Communication Plan
0. Links for Other Information

Dressing for Winter

Experts recommend several layers of warm clothing rather than one heavy layer. You can remove or add a layer based on your activity level. Stay dry. Wear a hat to conserve body heat as about 20% of body heat is lost through the head. Remain indoors when possible. When you go outdoors, remove any wet clothing as it loses insulating properties.

Frostbite and Hypothermia

Frostbite can affect your fingers, toes, earlobes, and tip of the nose. The skin will appear white or pale with a loss of feeling.

Hypothermia happens when the body temperature drops below 90 degrees Fahrenheit. You may experience exhaustion, memory loss, uncontrollable shivering, drowsiness, and slow or slurred speech. If you suspect hypothermia or frostbite, get medical help immediately while warming the person slowly. Avoid all alcohol and caffeine.

Dress for Winter and Extreme Cold

0. Winter Storm Watch - indicates severe winter weather may affect your area.
0. Winter Storm Warning - indicates severe winter weather conditions are definitely on the way or may be occurring.
0. Blizzard Warning - means large amounts of falling or blowing snow and sustained winds of at least 35 miles per hour are expected for several hours.
   0. Wind Chill - The wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by combined effects of wind and cold. As the wind increases, heat is carried away from the body at an accelerated rate, driving down the body temperature.

STOP, if You Are Lost in a Winter Storm

S - Stop where you are.  Stop, relax, and regain your composure.
T - Think. Keep your cool.  Use your mind; it is your best survival tool.  Make sure you have a clear head before making any decisions.
O - Observe your surroundings, your equipment, and your physical condition.
P - Plan a course of action.  Consider all factors, adopt a plan which best utilizes your skill, knowledge, equipment and your physical and mental state.

• Prevent and care for physical injuries, protect yourself from the elements, and prepare signals for attracting rescue.
• Supplies can help in an emergency.  Keep basic items on hand and available such as a windshield scraper, battery booster cables, a bag of sand or gravel, and a flash light.  For longer trips you might want to add a portable radio (and remember to pack extra batteries), a first aid kit, road maps, some nonperishable food items such as nuts and dried fruit, and a wool blanket or quilt.

Prepare Your Living Space

Insulate walls and attic. Examine doors and windows for caulking. Check to see that all windows are shut and locked securely. If you do not have storm windows consider using clear plastic on the inside of the windows. To keep pipes from freezing, allow faucets to drip very slowly. Insulate exposed pipes. Have a snow shovel and rock salt to melt ice. Have three days of food which does not need heat or refrigeration. Have three days supply of water, a gallon per person per day.

Emergency Heating Equipment

• Kerosene heater: requires filling outside and a well ventilated room.
• Wood burning stove or fireplace: requires dry seasoned wood.
• Smoke and Carbon Dioxide detectors should be installed with fresh batteries.

Home Safety Kit

• Battery powered radio
• Supply of water - one gallon per person per day
• Energy bars
• Food that does not require cooking or refrigeration
• Flashlight
• First aid kit

Freezing Pipes

Prevent pipes from freezing. Frozen pipes can cut off your water supply. They may even burst, causing water damage to your home or business.

0. When the heat will be off only for a few hours:
   0. Wrap exposed pipes with insulation or layers of newspaper. Be careful of burns from hot water pipes.
   0. In extremely cold weather, open faucets slightly and run a small, constant stream of water.
0. When the heat will be off longer than two days:
   0. Turn off the main water valve or pump, and the water heater and/or water heating furnace valve. Then open faucets to drain all pipes and also drain the water heater.
   0. Shut off the water valve to the toilet and flush until the bowl and tank are empty.
   0. Pour anti-freeze down drains and in toilet bowls and tanks.
0. When the pipes freeze:
   0. Shut off the main water supply and open faucets. Remove any insulation around pipes.
   0. To thaw pipes, expose them to warm air or wrap them with hot, wet rags. Never use a torch or open flame to thaw pipes. Call a plumber if these procedures do not work.

Fire Prevention in Cold Weather

0. Have a working smoke detector outside the bedrooms and on every floor of your home.
0. Keep blankets, curtains, clothing and other combustibles away from portable heaters, wall heaters and stoves.
0. Be mindful of proper use of electric power instruments such as space heaters. Do not overload electrical outlets. Only use electrical appliances and cords in good condition.
0. If you use heating systems that utilize flammable liquids, be sure to use them in well ventilated areas.
0. Prior to winter have your chimney checked by a licensed chimney technician. Always keep fireplace doors or screens closed to prevent sparks from igniting nearby combustibles.

Caring for your Pet

0. Check with your veterinarian for specific information on winter and cold weather preparedness.
0. Your pet emergency kit should include a bowl, food, pet medication, travel cage, kennel, leash, and blanket for bedding, plastic bags and paper towels for disposing of waste, immunization records, pet medical history, and a favorite toy.
0. During a winter storm or extreme cold weather:
   0. Bring your pets inside immediately. Animals have instincts about severe weather changes and will often isolate themselves if the are afraid.
   0. Make sure all dogs and cats are wearing collars that are securely fastened and have ID tags containing up-to-date information. In addition, attach the phone number and address of a friend or relative outside the disaster area to the collar or tag. You can buy temporary tags or put adhesive tape on the back of your pet's ID tag.
   0. Never leave a pet outside or tied up.
   0. If you have no alternative but to leave your pet at home, there are some precautions you must take; but remember that leaving your pet at home alone can place your animal in danger! Confine your pet to a safe area inside. Place a notice outside in a visible area advising that pets are in the house and where they are located. Provide a phone number where you or a contact can be reached as well as the name and number of your vet.
0. After a winter storm or extreme cold weather:
   0. In the first few days after a disaster, leash your pets when they go outside.

Prepare Your Car

Winter storms can range from a moderate amount of snow to blizzard conditions with wind-driven snow, reducing visibility.

Drive only when necessary when snow and ice are on the road. Keep the gas tank full and have extra windshield wiper fluid. Have a windshield scraper, broom, and snow shovel in the car. Check tires for adequate tread. Use chains and snow tires where indicated.

Car Safety Kit

• Battery powered radio
• Blanket(s)
• Booster cable
• Local maps and compass
• Bag of kitty litter or rock salt
• Bottled water
• Energy bars, nutritious snack type foods
• Flashlight and batteries
• Distress flag
• Emergency flares
• Socks, gloves (include heavy work gloves), hat, and a change of clothes
• Comfortable shoes
• First aid kit (include personal medications)
• Small tool kit (screwdriver, pliers, etc.)
• Boy Scout/Swiss Army type knife
• Fire extinguisher (A-B-C type)
• Ziploc bags (for toilet tissue/personal hygiene items)
• Never let your gas tank get below 1/2 full. Gas stations may not be open the first few days following a major snowstorm.

Health Care Special Needs

Do you have medical equipment requiring uninterrupted power? Do you need a generator? Do you have medications requiring refrigeration? Do you have ice and a cooler? If you cannot "shelter-in-place" in your home, do you have a place to go?

Preparedness for Persons with Special Needs

0. Contact your local emergency information management office, as they may maintain registers of people with disabilities so they can be located and assisted quickly in a disaster.
0. Consider getting a medical alert system.
0. Team up with a family member, friend, neighbor, or other available person who can assist you, and be sure they are familiar with your special needs.
0. Determine the locations of wheelchair accessible emergency shelters, if necessary.
0. Find the emergency shelters that do, or do not, accept service animals. Prepare for the requirements of your working service animal, and be aware they may become disoriented in an emergency.
0. Prepare a kit (in addition to emergency kit) that includes a 14-day supply of all medications. Include medical information (e.g., detailed information about the specifications of your medication regimen, a list of the style and serial numbers of medical devices such as pacemakers, names and locations of doctors, diagnosis if relevant, special food requirements or allergies, etc.).
0. Have oxygen, catheters, and other medical or special equipment on hand.
0. Store back-up equipment, such as a manual wheelchair, at a neighbor's home, school, or workplace.
0. If you have a severe speech, language, or hearing disability, store writing pad and pencils to communicate with others. Remind people that you cannot hear and ask them to be your source of emergency information as it comes over their radio or TV.
0. Within reach of your bed, have a flashlight, shoes, wheelchair, or cane - whatever you need (including any mobility devices) to get out of bed and move around.
0. Have a whistle attached to a flashlight, and one also in your emergency kit. This will help attract attention to your location.
0. If you require oxygen, check with your supplier about emergency plans.

Communication Plan

Remember to keep cell phones fully charged. Keep all important phone numbers on one sheet of paper and include:

• Your doctor
• The ambulance company
• Fire
• Police
• Pharmacy
• Friends and family who need to know you are safe

Links for Other Information

The Emergency Management Strategic Healthcare Group (EMSHG) Home Page : Learn about the EMSHG organization, its missions, accomplishments, and current activities relating to disaster response and recovery operations.

American Association of Retired Persons

American Red Cross

CBS News Disaster : This site has hundreds of links to primarily news-related sites on the full range of disaster events, from anthrax to wildfires. No annotations are provided, but links are categorized by specific subject headings.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Department of Health and Human Services

Disaster Central : Maintained by emergency management researcher, consultant, and educator Claire B. Rubin, this site provides an extensive set of links to recent research reports and other documents on emergency management, terrorism, homeland security, state and local government, critical infrastructure, health and medicine, policy analysis, and risk management. This site is an excellent source for full-text documents online.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) : FEMA is an independent agency tasked with responding to, planning for, recovering from, and mitigating disaster. Their site includes many customer service links and directories of state offices and agencies. Links to hundreds of FEMA publications, many with a community and consumer focus, are provided.

Disaster Mental Health Services : Published by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Education, Disaster Mental Health Services is a 170-page guidebook that serves as an introduction to the field of disaster mental health for clinicians and administrators. The book focuses on response strategies, team formation, and working with the Federal Disaster Response System.

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Updated/Reviewed: November 08, 2009