State Agencies Remind Residents to
Prepare for Winter Weather
November is Winter Weather Preparedness
Month in Illinois
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[November 08, 2021]
While the official start of winter is not for several weeks, the
Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), Illinois Department of
Labor (IDOL), Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM), Illinois
Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the National Weather Service
(NWS) are encouraging people to begin preparing now for extreme
cold, snow and ice.
“In Illinois, it’s not a question of if, but rather when will snow,
ice and sub-zero temperatures occur,” said IEMA Director Alicia
Tate-Nadeau. “Being unprepared for winter weather is not only
inconvenient, but it can be dangerous. That’s why we are encouraging
all Illinoisans to take a few minutes to put together your home and
vehicle emergency supply kits and review the steps you should take
to stay safe during hazardous winter weather.”
When checking and restocking a vehicle’s emergency supply kit, make
sure it contains items such as:
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Blankets or sleeping bags
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Flashlight with extra batteries
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First aid kit
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Non-perishable snack food
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Water
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Sand
or cat litter
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Shovel
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Booster cables
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Cell
phone charger
“At the Illinois Department of Transportation, we spend the entire
year planning and preparing to keep you safe during our challenging
Illinois winters,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman.
“The public plays an important part as well. Make sure your vehicle
is in safe, working condition at all times. Pack an emergency kit to
store in your vehicle. Don’t crowd the plow when you’re driving.
Most important, during inclement weather, ask yourself if your trip
is really necessary or can be postponed.”
Winter Weather Health Hazards
Prolonged exposure to the cold can cause serious problems including
hypothermia, a drop in the body’s core temperature. It doesn’t
require negative temperatures and can set in when you’re outdoors or
in. Hypothermia is especially dangerous and can be deadly if not
detected promptly and treated properly.
Frostbite occurs when your extremities (fingers, toes, nose, and
ears) are exposed to cold weather. The skin may become stiff and
numb, leading to severe tissue damage. Frostbite can permanently
damage the body, and severe cases can lead to amputation.
“Workers in Illinois, including first responders, construction
workers and public works crews brave the elements year-round. It’s
critical these workers – and others – prepare for severe conditions.
While it starts with dressing properly for the weather, it’s also
important your body is prepared for additional stress,” said
Illinois Department of Labor Director Michael Kleinik.
Medical professionals encourage people who must work outside
regularly in the winter weather consider scheduling a physical exam
before that winter work begins.
A study by the University of Illinois Chicago published in 2020
shows while there were more heat-related hospital admissions between
2011 and 2018, there were 1,935 cold-related deaths compared to 70
heat-related deaths.
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Recognize Home Heating Dangers
According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s)
National Center for Health Statistics, in 2017, 399 people died of
unintentional non-fire carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. In 2016,
local fire departments in the U.S. responded to 79,600 carbon
monoxide incidents, or an average of nine such calls per hour.
In 2018 according to National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS),
Illinois Fire Departments responded to 8,965 incidents related to
carbon monoxide. CO is found in fumes produced any time you burn
fuel in cars or trucks, small engines, stoves, lanterns, grills,
fireplaces, gas ranges, or furnaces. CO can build up indoors and
poison people and animals who breathe it. During and after a
snowstorm, make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove and
fireplace are clear of snow build-up.
-
Keep
anything that can burn at least three feet from all heat sources
including fireplaces, wood stoves,
radiators, space heaters and candles.
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Create a kid-free zone around open fires and space heaters
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Never use an oven to heat your home
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Turn
space heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
Remember...space heaters need space!
-
Make
sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from
flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before being placed
into a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away
from your home.
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Install carbon monoxide and smoke detectors on each floor of
your home and within 15 feet of each sleeping area.
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CO
detectors have a limited life span, check the manufacturer’s
instructions for information on replacement.
-
Use
portable generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas away from
doors, windows and vents.
“Home fires occur more during the winter months than any other time
of the year. Heating equipment is a leading cause of home fire
deaths in the U.S. which is why we stress the importance of
maintaining heating equipment and having chimneys cleaned and
inspected by a professional each year.” said Illinois State Fire
Marshal Matt Perez. “It’s also important to make sure your smoke and
CO alarms are working properly and are not expired. Test those
alarms monthly and replace any broken or expired alarm.”
Keep in mind, being prepared for winter doesn’t have to cost a lot
of money or take a lot of time. It could be as simple as making sure
your vehicle is in good winter driving condition, adding a winter
survival kit to your car, changing your furnace filter at home and
stocking or updating your family’s emergency supply kit. Take time
now to prepare your family, home, vehicles and driving habits for
everything from a dusting of snow to a major winter storm.
For more information about winter weather preparedness, visit the
Ready Illinois website at
www.Ready.Illinois.gov.
IEMA Winter Storm Preparedness Guide - printable pdf
[Illinois Office of Communication and
Information] |