The week of October 27-31 is designated as Winter Weather Awareness Week in North Dakota. Now is the time to ensure you and your family are safe throughout the winter season.
Be prepared at home and on the road by ensuring you are ready for what winter brings our way: heavy snow, freezing rain, low visibility, cold temperatures, high winds, wind chill, and power outages.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends that everyone be prepared to sustain themselves for a minimum of three days with adequate supplies of food, water, and supplies necessary for the hazards we face.
“Items you may want to include in your winter vehicle kit include blankets, boots, hats, gloves, a shovel, sand, window scraper, booster cables, water and snack food,” advises Gary Stockert, City of Bismarck Emergency Manager. Before traveling, monitor the weather and road conditions by checking http://www.dot.nd.gov/ or call 511.
Communicate your travel plans so others know your planned route and estimated time of arrival. Be sure your tank is full of gas and your cell phone is fully charged if you have one. Allow for extra time because slower speeds may be necessary based on road conditions.
While traveling, if you get stuck, stay with the vehicle and keep the tail-pipe clear of snow to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Run the engine occasionally, about every 15 minutes every hour and adjust as necessary. Never go to sleep with the engine running, again, to avoid the potential for carbon monoxide poisoning.
Based on weather and road conditions, the best choice might be NOT to travel or delay your travel until conditions improve. Don’t use cruise control on wet or icy roads.
If you’re new to North Dakota, a great starting point to learn about both the weather and weather safety is the local National Weather Service website: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/bis/. Residents new to the area will want to pay special attention to the cold and to the “wind chill” factor which is the “feels like” temperature outside. Wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by the effect of wind and cold.
Additional helpful winter weather preparedness tips and all hazards preparedness information can be found at www.bismarcknd.gov/emergencymanagement.