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    WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS WEEK IN NORTH CAROLINA
                NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4 2010
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THIS WEEK HAS BEEN DECLARED WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS WEEK IN 
NORTH CAROLINA. ALL WEEK THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL IS 
ISSUING INFORMATIVE MESSAGES TO HELP YOU PREPARE FOR WINTER WEATHER.

EACH DAY WE WILL COVER A DIFFERENT TOPIC. TODAY WE WILL FOCUS ON 
WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS.

IS YOUR HOME PREPARED FOR WINTER?

WE THINK OF OUR HOMES AS THE PLACE WE WANT TO BE WHEN THE WEATHER 
TURNS COLD AND BLUSTERY. HOWEVER...IF CERTAIN PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT 
TAKEN BEFORE A WINTER STORM STRIKES...LIFE AT HOME CAN BE JUST AS 
MISERABLE AS THE WEATHER OUTSIDE.

SEVERE WINTER STORMS PRODUCE CONDITIONS WHICH CAN ISOLATE YOU IN 
YOUR HOME FOR SEVERAL DAYS. PROLONGED LOSS OF POWER AND TELEPHONE 
SERVICES CAN SEVERELY LIMIT YOUR ABILITY TO HEAT YOUR HOME AND CALL 
FOR HELP. IN SEVERE WINTER STORMS...OBTAINING SUPPLIES...FOOD...AND 
OTHER NECESSITIES CAN BE HAMPERED OR PREVENTED BY POOR ROAD 
CONDITIONS. THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME HELPFUL HINTS TO MAKE YOUR HOME A 
SAFE HAVEN DURING WINTER WEATHER.

DO...STOCK AN EMERGENCY SUPPLY OF FOOD AND WATER PRIOR TO THE ONSET 
FOR A WINTER STORM. INCLUDE FOOD ITEMS WHICH REQUIRE NO COOKING SUCH 
AS CANNED MEATS...PEANUT BUTTER AND OTHER NON PERISHABLES. ALSO DO 
NOT FORGET TO HAVE NECESSARY MEDICINES AND BABY ITEMS ON HAND. A 
THREE TO FIVE DAY SUPPLY OF FOOD AND MEDICINE IS GENERALLY 
SUFFICIENT. ALSO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A MANUAL CAN OPENER.

DO...KEEP AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF HEATING FUEL 
(FIREWOOD...KEROSENE...ETC.) AT YOUR HOME. USE YOUR FUEL PROPERLY 
AND SPARINGLY AS SUPPLIES MAY BE IN SHORT ORDER DURING WINTER 
STORMS. USE HEATERS AND FUELS PROPERLY AND SAFELY IN ORDER TO AVOID 
DEADLY FIRES AND CARBON MONOXIDE.

DO...KEEP ON HAND A FLASH LIGHT...BATTERY POWERED ROAD...EXTRA 
BATTERIES...AND A FIRST AID KIT.

DO...PREVENT WATER PIPES FROM FREEZING BY WRAPPING THEM WITH 
INSULATION OR NEWSPAPER COVERED WITH PLASTIC. IN REALLY COLD 
WEATHER...LET YOUR FAUCETS DRIP SLIGHTLY TO HELP AVOID FREEZING. IF 
YOUR PIPES DO FREEZE...REMOVE THE INSULATION AND WRAP THE PIPES IN 
RAGES. OPEN EVERY FAUCET IN THE HOUSE AND POUR HOT WATER OVER THE 
RAG WRAPPED PIPES. ALSO KNOW HOW TO SHUT OFF YOUR HOMES WATER SUPPLY 
SHOULD WATER LINES BREAK.

DO...KEEP GENERATORS WELL AWAY FROM THE HOME. NEVER RUN A GENERATOR 
IN YOUR GARAGE OR ANY OTHER ENCLOSED AREA. CARBON MONOXIDE FROM THE 
EXHAUST OF THE GENERATOR CAN BE A SILENT KILLER. ALSO...MAKE SURE 
YOUR GENERATOR IS PROPERLY WIRED TO YOUR HOME.

NEVER...HEAT YOUR HOME USING A CHARCOAL GRILL...GAS GRILL...OR CAMP 
STOVE. GRILLS AND CAMP STOVES CREATE DEADLY CARBON MONOXIDE FUMES 
THAT WILL BUILD UP WHEN USED IN YOUR HOME. ALWAYS USE GRILLS OUTSIDE.

STRUCTURE FIRES CLAIMED OVER THREE THOUSAND LIVES IN 2008 
NATIONWIDE. OVER FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND RESIDENTIAL FIRES WERE 
REPORTED NATIONALLY. EIGHTY FOUR PERCENT OF ALL FIRE DEATHS OCCURRED 
IN THE HOME. FIRE IS A REAL DANGER SO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY FAMILY 
MEMBER KNOWS HOW TO EVACUATE THE HOME IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE. MAKE 
SURE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY DESIGNATE AN OUTDOOR MEETING PLACE IF YOU 
DO HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR HOME QUICKLY BECAUSE OF A FIRE. ALSO MAKE SURE 
ALL SMOKE DETECTORS ARE WORKING PROPERLY AND HAVE FRESH BATTERIES.

BEING PREPARED FOR WINTER WEATHER MEANS HAVING THE NECESSARY 
INFORMATION TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS. WEATHER FORECASTS PLAY A 
LARGE ROLE IN THIS DECISION MAKING PROCESS. THE NATIONAL WEATHER 
SERVICE RECOMMENDS THAT YOU REGULARLY TUNE TO NOAA WEATHER 
RADIO...LOCAL TELEVISION...AND LOCAL RADIO IN ORDER TO KEEP ABREAST 
OF WEATHER CONDITIONS AND FORECASTS THIS WINTER.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS CAN BE 
OBTAINED ON-LINE THROUGH THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY 
MANAGEMENT HOME PAGE AT: HTTP//READYNC.ORG

UP TO DATE WEATHER INFORMATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON-LINE AT:
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BLACKSBURG.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS WEB SITE IS:
WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/WINTER/INDEX.SHTML