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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 DRIVING TIPS.

SEVENTY FIVE PERCENT OF ALL WINTER WEATHER RELATED DEATHS OCCUR ON 
THE ROAD...EITHER IN ACCIDENTS OR BY PEOPLE BECOMING STRANDED. 
OBVIOUSLY...WHEN THE WEATHER IS BAD AND DRIVING CONDITIONS ARE 
POOR...THE BEST BET IS TO STAY AT HOME. HOWEVER...IF YOU MUST 
VENTURE OUT...THE FOLLOWING TIPS COULD MAKE FOR A SAFER JOURNEY.

1. MAKE SURE YOUR CAR IS IN GOOD RUNNING CONDITION.  MAKE SURE YOUR 
BATTERY...ANTIFREEZE...WINDSHIELD WIPERS...IGNITION AND THERMOSTAT 
ARE ALL IN GOOD WORKING ORDER. BE SURE YOUR TIRES HAVE ENOUGH TREAD. 
REPLACE ANY OF THESE ITEMS IF NECESSARY.

2. IF YOU MUST GO OUT WHEN SNOW AND ICE ARE ON THE GROUND...LET 
SOMEONE KNOW YOUR DESTINATION AND WHEN YOU PLAN TO ARRIVE. ALSO 
CARRY A CELL PHONE IF POSSIBLE.

3. CLEAN SNOW AND ICE OFF ALL PARTS OF YOUR CAR BEFORE YOU DRIVE 
AWAY.

4. KEEP YOUR GAS TANK AS FULL AS POSSIBLE WHEN SNOW AND ICE ARE 
FORECAST. THIS WILL NOT ONLY GIVE YOU ADDED PIECE OF MIND..IT ALSO 
INCREASES THE WEIGHT OF YOUR CAR AND THIS WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL 
TRACTION.

5. KEEP THE FOLLOWING BASIC ITEMS IN YOUR CAR...WINDSHIELD SCRAPER 
AND BRUSH...BOOSTER/JUMPER CABLES...A TOW CHAIN OR ROPE...A BAG OF 
SAND OR SALT...BLANKETS...A FLASHLIGHT...FIRST AID KIT...AND ROAD 
MAP.

6. OVERALL DRIVE SLOW. DRIVING AT EVEN POSTED SPEEDS IS EXTREMELY 
DANGEROUS WHEN SNOW AND ICE ARE ON THE ROAD. MANY VEHICLES WILL LOSE 
TRACTION ESPECIALLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS RESULTING IN SERIOUS ACCIDENT 
AND VEHICLE ROLLOVERS.

7. STEER YOUR CAR INTO THE SKID. IF YOU VEHICLE LOSES TRACTION AND 
BEGINS TO SKID...STEER THE FRONT TIRES INTO THE DIRECTION OF THE 
SKID. NEVER HIT YOUR BRAKES AS THIS WILL RESULT IN A MORE SERIOUS 
SKID AND SPINNING OF THE VEHICLE. 

IF YOU GET STRANDED IN YOUR CAR...

1. STAY IN YOUR CAR. DO NOT SEEK ALTERNATE SHELTER UNLESS IT IS 
CLOSE BY OR ALREADY VISIBLE. YOU CAN EASILY BECOME DISORIENTED IN 
HEAVY SNOW AND COLD TEMPERATURES. CARRY A CELL PHONE WITH YOU WHEN 
YOU TRAVEL IS POSSIBLE.

2. PERIODICALLY TURN ON THE CAR ENGINE FOR BRIEF PERIODS. THIS WILL 
HELP PROVIDE HEAT TO THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. HOWEVER...TO AVOID 
CARBON MONOXIDE GAS BUILDUP...CLEAR THE EXHAUST PIPE OF SNOW AND 
LEAVE A DOWNWIND WINDOW SLIGHTLY OPEN FOR VENTILATION.

3. MAKE YOURSELF VISIBLE BY TYPING A COLORED CLOTH TO YOUR ANTENNA 
OR DOOR...OR BY TURNING ON YOUR DOME LIGHT WHEN RUNNING THE ENGINE.

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...OR LOCAL RADIO...IN ORDER TO KEEP ABREAST 
OF WEATHER.


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