GOVERNOR BOB MCDONNELL HAS DECLARED THE WEEK DECEMBER 5 TO 11...2010
AS WINTER PREPAREDNESS WEEK IN VIRGINIA. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
OFFICES SERVING VIRGINIA...IN COOPERATION WITH THE VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT...WILL SEND PUBLIC INFORMATION
STATEMENTS EACH DAY THROUGH SATURDAY AT APPROXIMATELY 11 AM.
THESE STATEMENTS WILL FOCUS ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF WINTER WEATHER 
...AND PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS THE PUBLIC SHOULD TAKE FOR THE UPCOMING WINTER SEASON.

TODAY'S TOPIC - WINTER PREPAREDNESS AT HOME. IS YOUR HOME PREPARED FOR WINTER?

WE THINK OF OUR HOMES AS THE PLACE WE WANT TO BE WHEN THE WEATHER
IS NASTY OUTSIDE. HOWEVER...IF CERTAIN PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN
EITHER BEFORE OR DURING WINTER'S WRATH...LIFE AT HOME CAN BE JUST AS
MISERABLE AS THE WEATHER OUTSIDE.

SEVERE WINTER STORMS CAN PRODUCE CONDITIONS WHICH ISOLATE YOU IN
YOUR HOME...SOMETIMES FOR LONG PERIODS. PROLONGED LOSS OF POWER
AND TELEPHONE CAN SEVERELY LIMIT THE ADEQUATE HEATING OF THE HOME
OR CURTAIL YOUR ABILITY TO CALL FOR HELP. IN SEVERE WINTER STORMS...
OBTAINING SUPPLIES OF FOOD AND OTHER NECESSITIES CAN BE HAMPERED OR
PREVENTED BY POOR ROAD CONDITIONS. 

THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME HELPFUL HINTS TO MAKE THE HOME A SAFE HAVEN 
DURING SEVERE WINTER WEATHER.

DO...STOCK AN EMERGENCY SUPPLY OF FOOD AND WATER PRIOR TO THE ONSET
OF A WINTER STORM. INCLUDE FOODS WHICH REQUIRE NO COOKING SUCH AS
CANNED MEATS...PEANUT BUTTER AND OTHER NON PERISHABLES. A THREE TO
FIVE DAY SUPPLY IS GENERALLY SUFFICIENT.

DO...KEEP AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF HEATING FUEL (INCLUDING FIREWOOD)
IN YOUR HOME. USE YOUR FUEL (ESPECIALLY SECONDARY SOURCES)
SPARINGLY AS SUPPLIES MAY BE IN SHORT ORDER DURING SIGNIFICANT
WINTER STORMS.

DO...KEEP ON HAND A FLASHLIGHT...BATTERY POWERED RADIO...EXTRA
BATTERIES AND A FIRST AID KIT.

DO...USE EMERGENCY HEATING EQUIPMENT CAREFULLY. A WOOD BURNING
STOVE...FIREPLACE OR SPACE HEATER MAY BE YOUR ONLY SINGLE ROOM HEAT
SOURCE SHOULD YOU LOSE YOUR PRIMARY HEATING SOURCE.

DO...ALWAYS SAFELY OPERATE PORTABLE ELECTRIC GENERATORS OUTDOORS
IN A WELL VENTILATED LOCATION. READ THE GENERATOR OPERATIONS MANUAL
THOROUGHLY BEFORE USING THE GENERATOR.

DO...PREVENT WATER PIPES FROM FREEZING BY WRAPPING THEM IN
INSULATION OR NEWSPAPER COVERED WITH PLASTIC. IN SEVERELY COLD
WEATHER...LET EACH FAUCET DRIP SLIGHTLY TO AVOID FREEZING. KNOW HOW
TO SHUT OFF YOUR HOME'S WATER SUPPLY. IF YOUR PIPES FREEZE
...REMOVE THE INSULATION AND WRAP THEM WITH
RAGS. OPEN EVERY FAUCET COMPLETELY AND POUR HOT WATER OVER THE
AFFECTED PIPES.

DO...KNOW THE EMERGENCY ESCAPE ROUTES FROM YOUR HOME SHOULD A
FIRE START. YOUR LIFE MAY DEPEND ON IT!

DO NOT...COOK (OR HEAT YOUR HOME) USING A CHARCOAL GRILL...GAS GRILL OR
CAMP STOVE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE! DEADLY CARBON MONOXIDE FUMES MAY
DRIFT INTO YOUR HOME EVEN IF YOU USE A CHARCOAL GRILL INSIDE THE
FIREPLACE. IN ADDITION...USING ANY OF THESE INSIDE GREATLY INCREASES
THE FIRE RISK. ALWAYS USE YOUR CHARCOAL GRILL...GAS GRILL...OR CAMP
STOVE OUTSIDE.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS CAN BE
OBTAINED ON-LINE THROUGH THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT HOME PAGE AT:

WWW.VAEMERGENCY.COM/THREATS/WINTER/INDEX.CFM

IN ADDITION...THE READY VIRGINIA WEB SITE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED 
TO AID VIRGINIANS IN THEIR OVERALL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS:

WWW.READYVIRGINIA.GOV...ENGLISH VERSION/
WWW.LISTOVIRGINIA.GOV...SPANISH VERSION/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS HOME PAGE IS:
WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/WINTER/INDEX.SHTML