The National Weather Service has issued a Blizzard Warning for Metro New York this weekend, starting on Friday morning. The storm is expected to bring strong winds and heavy snow with accumulations of 10 to 14 inches in the area.
BBB urges consumers and businesses in our area to be prepared for weather emergencies. Creating a disaster plan for what to do before, during and after an emergency may make a big difference to your safety and comfort.
BBB offers the following tips and resources to help consumers prepare for winter storms.
Emergency Supply Kit
You may need to shelter in place (stay at home) during an emergency, such as a severe storm. Keep enough supplies in your home to last for at least three days:
- One gallon of drinking water per person per day
- Nonperishable, ready-to-eat foods and manual can opener
- First-aid kit
- Flashlight
- Battery-operated AM/FM radio
- Extra batteries
- Phone that does not rely on electricity
- Child care, pet care, and other special items
The following items might also be very helpful in case of a very serious emergency.
- Whistle (in case you are trapped in a collapsed building)
- Iodine tablets or one quart of unscented bleach (for disinfecting water ONLY If directed to do so by health officials) and eyedropper (for adding bleach to water)
Evacuation “Go Bag”
Other emergencies may require evacuation from your home. BBB suggests having a Go Bag ready for every household member in an easy-to-carry container such as a backpack. Your Go Bags could include:
- Copies of your important documents in a waterproof and portable container (insurance cards, photo IDs, proof of address, etc.)
- Extra set of car and house keys
- Change of clothing
- Copies of credit/ATM cards and $50-$100 in cash in small denominations.
- Bottled water and nonperishable food such as energy or granola bars
- Flashlight
- Battery-operated AM/FM radio
- Extra batteries
- Medications and doctors’ names and phone numbers
- First aid kit
- Contact and meeting place information for your household and a small local map
- Child care, pet care, and other special items
The BBB recommends using FEMA’s website at www.ready.govto learn about the potential emergencies that could occur where you live and the appropriate ways to respond to them. Winter weather can knock out heat, power and communications services.
In addition to your emergency kit, FEMA recommends having the following items on hand when preparing for a winter storm:
- Rock salt or more environmentally safe products to melt ice on walkways.
- Sand to improve traction.
- Snow shovels and other snow removal equipment.
- Adequate clothing and blankets to keep you warm.
Other winter storm preparations should include:
- Make a Family Communications Plan. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together and what you will do in case of an emergency.
- Listen to a NOAA Weather Radio or other local news channels for critical information from the National Weather Service (NWS). Be alert to changing weather conditions.
- Minimize travel. If travel is necessary, keep a disaster supplies kit in your vehicle.
- Bring pets/companion animals inside during winter weather. Move other animals or livestock to sheltered areas with non-frozen drinking water.
The New York City Office of Emergency Management also has many useful tips on preparing for winter storms including:
Familiarize yourself with your local emergency alerts and warnings and how you will receive them. Knowing about the local emergency plans for shelter and evacuation, local emergency contacts, the locations frequented by members of your household and the specific needs of household members including animals will help you reduce the impact of damaging storms. It may also save lives and prevent injuries.
Storm Planning Resources
NYC Office of Emergency Management
www.nyc.gov/oem
NY State Emergency Management Office
www.semo.state.ny.us
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)www.fema.gov
www.ready.gov
Department of Homeland Security
www.dhs.gov
American Red Cross in Greater New York
www.nyredcross.org
National Weather Service
www.weather.gov
Notify NYC Register for emergency notifications by visiting
www.nyc.gov/notifynyc or call 311
For more tips you can trust, visit www.newyork.bbb.org, and to sign up for our weekly scam alerts, visit
https://cbbb.wufoo.com/forms/email-sign-up/.
