WINTER PREPAREDNESS TIPS: Our
winter weather tends to be reliably unpredictable. We urge you to
always prepare for the unexpected, including heavy amounts of snow,
single-digit or sub-zero (polar vortex event) temperatures, or flooding
caused by thawing with rapid snow-melt or by rain storms. Trees loosened
or weakened by weather events are also a hazard to anticipate and
prepare for.
In case you get snowed in, your pipes freeze, or your
power goes out, have enough food, water, and any needed
medications to get by for at least a week. That means
one gallon of water per person per day,
and ready-to-eat, non-perishable foods. (Food in the fridge stays good
for approx. four hours without power.)
Also have flashlights, a NOAA weather radio, extra batteries,
a first aid kit, food and water for pets, and if possible, a portable
generator. A portable sump pump or wet/dry vacuum is also useful in
case of home flooding.
And since your family may not all be together when a weather
event or other emergency occurs, also have a communications
plan, including an out-of-area contact you can each check in
with if local phone service is lost.
Basic winter reminders: Keep your residences
as accessible as possible. If we can’t reach you during a fire
or medical situation, we may not be able to help you at all. Fire district
response time can be complicated by snow/ ice on roads and at residences.
Provide strategic turnouts so two vehicles can pass, and turn-around
space at your residence.
For more Winter Fire Safety information, read
our full 2015-16 Winter Fire Safety Pamphlet sent out to
our residents in Dec. 2015. (Note: This document is formatted for printing
as a half-page-size pamphlet.) If you are new to our district and did
not receive your copy and would like one, please email
us with your name and mailing address and we will send a copy out
to you.
For additional wet-season fire safety and
preparedness information, see our WINTER
FIRE SAFETY page.
REMINDER: During
especially cold weather, make sure you keep your pets inside ("If
it's too cold for you, it's too cold for them").
ALERT: Many trees weakened
by drought stress over the past two years may be vulnerable to toppling
unexpectedly due to saturated soils, winds, and/or heavy snow loads.
If you are aware of leaning or weakened trees near your
residence or driveway that may be a safety hazard, have a professional
deal with them properly. (If you aren't able to locate
someone, call us and we will try to assist you to find someone qualified.)
If you see a problem near or over a public roadway, please
report it to local authorities (or provide us with
the necessary information and we will forward it to the proper authorities).**
WINTER WEATHER TRAVEL PREPAREDNESS: The
Jackson County Sheriff's Office has some advice for staying safe on
the roads:
Stock your vehicle with winter survival gear: water,
food/snacks, portable cell phone/device charger, blankets, warm clothes,
gloves, boots, flashlight and extra batteries, radio and extra batteries,
a basic tool kit, tire chains, road salt and sand or kitty litter, a
shovel and ice scraper, jumper cables, tarp, first aid kit, sanitation
supplies, and any necessary medications.
Have your vehicle serviced before winter travel; during winter, keep
the gas tank full.
During winter weather and road conditions, stay home
unless a trip out is necessary.
If you must travel in winter weather, check ODOT (or
CalTrans) for current road conditions before travel and pay attention
to weather updates, and tell someone of your travel plans. Avoid roads,
mountain passes and back-country roads that are notoriously dangerous
in winter. Start out with a full gas tank and a fully charged cell phone,
but don't rely on cell phones to always have service.
If you are stranded in a storm, stay in your vehicle, and never run
your engine for heat with the windows up, since carbon monoxide poisoning
has no smell and can be lethal.
Check ODOT
[Oregon] or CalTrans
[Calif.] for road conditions before you begin traveling.
Full weather information and updates are available
from the Medford
WFO.
View hazard areas in detail at: HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/MEDFORD/HAZARD.
FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) reminds
us that "one of the most serious threats to your home is frozen
water pipes." FEMA recommends these "FOAM,
DOME and DRIP" tips from the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH).
(Scroll down to "Six Affordable Home Insulation Tips for Winter
Weather" on 11/14/14.)
Also, check out The Weather Channel's video discussion
on (How to) Keep
Your Pipes From Freezing (2:58 min).
More basic information is also available from the City
of Ashland's "Put
a Freeze on Frozen Pipes."
Based on the types of problems and incidents the District experienced
during previous winters, we sent out an earlier brochure
to our district members covering many key points of Winter Emergency
Preparedness and Home Safety Reminders.
You can view it here (in PDF format):
2008-09
Winter Emergency Preparedness Planning and Safety Reminders
We have just a few copies of the brochure left. If
you are a district resident but did not receive your copy, you are
welcome to email us with
your name and snail mail address and we will send you one (subject
to current availability).
Printing Notes: This small brochure
is formatted for printing in "landscape" layout and on
two sides of 8-and-1/2 by 11-inch paper, for a total of two double-sided
pages that can then be folded at the centers. The material on Road
Preparation (pages 2 and 3) and General Home Safety Reminders (pages
7 and 8) should go together when reading. Pages 4 and 5, with the
Emergency Preparedness Checklist, should be placed in the center.
To print for this result, on the first sheet
of paper, make sure that Page 2 (where Preparedness on the Road
begins) prints on the reverse of Page 1 (with the cover graphic);
Page 7 (the rest of General Home Safety Reminders) will then be
on the reverse of Page 8 (the mail address page). On the second
sheet, Page 3 (the rest of Preparedness on the Road, starting with
"Before Winter travel...") will need to be on the reverse
of Page 4 (the beginning of the Checklist), while Page 6 (the beginning
of General Winter Home Safety Reminders) prints on the reverse of
Page 5 (the rest of the Checklist).
Quick Links to References mentioned
in this brochure:
For current road conditions: www.wrh.noaa.gov/mfr/roads/index.php.
Cell phone and PDA users can also go to: www.TripCheck.com/mobile.
For more Winter Emergency Preparedness Information,
see the American Red Cross website, at: www.redcross.org/services/disaster.
In particular, review the sections under Disaster Services on Disaster
Safety, Prepare for Disasters, Winter Storm, Prepare at Home, and
Emergency Preparedness Kits, where you can plan your own customized
emergency kit.
For more info on Stoves and Flue Fires, see the National
Fire Protection Association's website at: www.nfpa.org.
