Winter Preparedness Week is Dec. 1-7, 2013
Several record-breaking snowstorms have covered Virginia in recent years, and winter is right around the corner again! Winter Preparedness Week is Dec. 1-7 – this is the time for Virginians to get ready for bad weather by taking a few easy steps.
• Get a kit. Imagine that you can’t leave your home for three days. You need these basic emergency supplies:
• Three days’ food that doesn’t need refrigeration or electricity to prepare it
• Three days’ water (a gallon per person per day)
• A battery-powered and/or hand-crank radio with extra batteries
• After you have these essentials, then add a first aid kit, supply of prescription medications, blankets and warm clothing, supplies for special members of your household, and pet items.
• Make a plan. Everyone needs an emergency plan:
• Decide who your out-of-town emergency contact will be
• Where will you meet up with family members if you can’t return home?
• Get a worksheet at www.ReadyVirginia.gov or on the new Ready Virginia app
• Stay informed. Before, during and after a winter storm, you should:
• Listen to local media for information and instructions from emergency officials
• Be aware of winter storm watches and warnings and road conditions
• Get road condition information 24/7 by calling 511 or checking www.511Virginia.org
• Download the Ready Virginia app. This helpful emergency planning tool for iPhone® and Android™ mobile devices features:
• Location-specific weather watches and warnings issued by the National Weather Service
• Disaster news from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management
• A customizable family emergency plan that can be easily shared
• A checklist for gathering emergency supplies
• Contact information for local emergency managers
• Links to register for local emergency alerts, and more
It’s time to get ready for winter weather now! Get more information at www.ReadyVirginia.gov.
Prepared by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, November 2013
(804) 897-6510 pio@vdem.virginia.gov www.ReadyVirginia.gov
