ONE OF THE KEY LESSONS FROM NATURAL DISASTERS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL
YEARS IS THAT INDIVIDUALS MUST BE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THE EFFECTS OF 
HAZARDOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS. TODAY WE EXPLORE STEPS YOU CAN 
TAKE TO MITIGATE AGAINST PENNSYLVANIA/S SOMETIMES HARSH WINTER WEATHER. 

HEAVY SNOW CAN PILE UP SEVERAL FEET...DELIGHTING SKIERS...BUT 
CLOGGING ROADS OR TRAPPING US IN OUR HOMES. FREEZING RAIN CAN 
ROB US OF ELECTRICITY OR TURN OUR HIGHWAYS INTO DEADLY 
THOROUGHFARES. BITING COLD AND STRONG WINDS CAN MAKE THE 
SPOT BY THE FIREPLACE SEEM COZY...BUT THEY ALSO NUMB OUR 
FINGERS AND TOES...OR EVEN WORSE. THESE ARE ALL FACTS OF 
LIFE IN OUR TEMPERATE CLIMATE DURING THE WINTER. HOWEVER...THERE 
IS PLENTY WE CAN DO TO HELP PROTECT OURSELVES AND OUR LOVED ONES. 

WINTER IS THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME OF THE YEAR FOR DRIVERS. NEARLY 
THREE OUT OF EVERY FOUR WINTER WEATHER RELATED DEATHS OCCUR ON OUR 
HIGHWAYS. WHEN ROADS ARE SNOW COVERED OR ICY...SLOW DOWN AND DRIVE 
VERY CAREFULLY. 

THE COLD WEATHER ALSO PUTS AN ADDED STRAIN ON VEHICLES. WE 
SUGGEST...IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO...THAT YOU GET YOUR 
CAR IN GOOD MECHANICAL WORKING ORDER NOW. MAKE SURE IT IS 
TUNED UP. CHECK YOUR TIRES...BRAKES...WINDSHIELD WIPERS...AND 
ANTIFREEZE. IF YOUR CAR IS IN GOOD WORKING ORDER...THERE IS 
LESS CHANCE IT WILL FAIL WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST. 

CONSIDER KEEPING A BLANKET OR A SLEEPING BAG IN YOUR CAR. 
PREPARE A WINTER STORM SURVIVAL KIT FOR YOUR CAR. THIS KIT SHOULD 
INCLUDE A FIRST AID KIT...FLASHLIGHT WITH FRESH BATTERIES...
SHOVEL...SACK OF SAND OR CAT LITTER...BOOSTER CABLES...TOW ROPE...
ICE SCRAPER AND BRUSH...CANDY BARS OR OTHER HIGH ENERGY NON PERISHABLE 
FOOD...AND PAPER TOWELS. YOU SHOULD KEEP YOUR GAS TANK AT LEAST 
HALF FULL TO AVOID ICE IN THE TANK AND FUEL LINES.

CALL AHEAD TO YOUR DESTINATION TO TELL SOMEONE YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY. 
TRY NOT TO TRAVEL ALONE AND USE PRIMARY ROADS AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. 
IF YOU ARE STUCK IN YOUR CAR DURING A WINTER STORM...STAY THERE...AND 
TIE A BRIGHTLY COLORED CLOTH TO THE ANTENNA. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO WALK 
TO SAFETY UNLESS YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THE SHELTER YOU WISH TO REACH.

YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE RESCUED FROM YOUR VEHICLE THAN FROM A BARN 
OR OTHER UNINHABITED...OUT OF THE WAY BUILDING. WHILE WAITING FOR 
HELP RUN THE VEHICLES ENGINE AND HEATER FOR SEVERAL MINUTES EVERY 
HOUR...JUST ENOUGH TO KEEP FROM BECOMING UNREASONABLY COLD. MAKE SURE 
TO OPEN A WINDOW SLIGHTLY...AND CLEAR SNOW FROM THE TAILPIPE. THIS 
WILL HELP PREVENT CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING FROM THE EXHAUST. 

DRESS WARMLY FOR THE COLD WEATHER. SEVERAL LAYERS OF LOOSE 
FITTING CLOTHING ARE BETTER THAN ONE TIGHT FITTING GARMENT. 
MITTENS ARE WARMER THAN GLOVES. DO NOT FORGET YOUR HAT SINCE 
THE BODY/S GREATEST HEAT LOSS OCCURS THROUGH YOUR HEAD. WIND 
CHILL...THE COMBINATION OF COLD TEMPERATURES AND WIND...CAN 
BE A REAL PROBLEM. A TWENTY MILE AN HOUR WIND MAKES A BEARABLE 
THIRTY DEGREES FEEL LIKE A BITTER 17 DEGREES. THIS CAN HAVE 
AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON YOUR BODY. THE STRONG WIND INCREASES THE 
DANGER OF FROSTBITE OR HYPOTHERMIA. 

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS WHEN VENTURING OUT ONTO AN ICE COVERED 
BODY OF WATER. AN ICE THICKNESS OF AT LEAST FOUR INCHES IS 
RECOMMENDED TO SUPPORT A PERSON. SNOWMOBILES AND ATVS NEED AT 
LEAST FIVE INCHES OF ICE...WHILE CARS AND LIGHT TRUCKS REQUIRE 
AT LEAST EIGHT TO 12 INCHES. FACTORS WHICH CAN BE USED TO ASSESS 
THE STRENGTH OF THE ICE INCLUDE THE ICE APPEARANCE...THICKNESS...DAILY 
TEMPERATURE...SNOW COVER...AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE LOAD ON THE ICE.