WWAW – Winter Weather Safety

This is Winter Weather Awareness Week (WWAW) in Alabama. The focus today is on winter weather safety.

-Brian-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
544 AM CST FRI NOV 16 2012

...WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN ALABAMA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND THE ALABAMA STATE EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AGENCY HAVE PROCLAIMED THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 12TH THROUGH
NOVEMBER 16TH, 2012 AS WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN ALABAMA.
WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR BEING PREPARED
FOR THE POTENTIAL DANGERS OF A SEVERE WINTER WEATHER EPISODE.

...WINTER WEATHER SAFETY...

KEEP AHEAD OF A WINTER STORM BY LISTENING TO THE LATEST WEATHER
WARNINGS AND BULLETINS ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO, LOCAL RADIO AND TV
STATIONS OR CABLE TV SUCH AS THE WEATHER CHANNEL FOR UPDATES. BE
ALERT TO CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND AVOID UNNECESSARY TRAVEL.

CHECK BATTERY POWERED EQUIPMENT BEFORE THE STORM ARRIVES. YOU MAY
HAVE TO DEPEND ON A PORTABLE RADIO OR TV FOR WEATHER INFORMATION.
ALSO CHECK EMERGENCY COOKING FACILITIES AND FLASHLIGHTS.

CHECK YOUR SUPPLY OF HEATING FUEL.

CHECK YOUR FOOD AND STOCK AN EXTRA SUPPLY FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF
DAYS. YOUR SUPPLIES SHOULD INCLUDE FOOD THAT REQUIRES NO COOKING
OR REFRIGERATION IN CASE OF POWER FAILURE.

PREVENT FIRE HAZARDS, INCLUDING CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING, DUE TO
OVERHEATED COAL OR OIL BURNING STOVES, FIREPLACES, HEATERS OR
FURNACES.

STAY INDOORS DURING STORMS AND COLD SNAPS UNLESS YOU ARE IN PEAK
PHYSICAL CONDITION. AVOID OVEREXERTION, ESPECIALLY WHEN SHOVELING
SNOW.

MAKE NECESSARY TRIPS FOR SUPPLIES BEFORE THE STORM DEVELOPS OR DON'T
GO AT ALL. ARRANGE FOR EMERGENCY HEAT IN CASE OF POWER FAILURE.

DRESS TO FIT THE SEASON. WEAR LAYERED LOOSE-FITTING CLOTHING. WEAR
A HAT, SCARF AND MITTENS.

GET YOUR CAR WINTERIZED BEFORE THE STORM SEASON BEGINS. MAINTAIN A
CHECKLIST OF THE PREPARATION REQUIRED. KEEP WATER OUT OF YOUR FUEL BY
KEEPING YOUR GAS TANK FULL.

CARRY A WINTER STORM CAR KIT. ESPECIALLY IF YOU PLAN CROSS COUNTRY
TRAVEL OR IF YOU ANTICIPATE TRAVEL IN THE NORTHERN STATES.

IF THE STORM EXCEEDS OR EVEN TESTS YOUR LIMITATIONS, SEEK AVAILABLE
SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. PLAN YOUR TRAVEL AND SELECT PRIMARY AND
ALTERNATE ROUTES.

CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION BEFORE DEPARTING AND DRIVE
CAREFULLY AND DEFENSIVELY.

WINTER WEATHER DRIVING SAFETY...

NO ONE SHOULD DRIVE DURING SEVERE WINTER WEATHER. IF A SEVERE WINTER
STORM INTERRUPTS YOUR TRAVEL PLANS, LET THE WEATHER WIN FOR YOUR
SAFETY. HOWEVER, SOMETIMES BUSINESS OBLIGATIONS OR HOLIDAY PLANS
MAKE WINTER TRAVEL NECESSARY. WHEN THE PLANS CANNOT BE CHANGED OR
DELAYED, USE GOOD COMMON SENSE TO MAKE YOUR TRIP SAFE. HERE ARE
SOME POINTS TO CONSIDER WHEN TRAVELING DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.

BE SURE YOUR CAR IS IN GOOD CONDITION AND PROPERLY SERVICED. SNOW
TIRES OR CHAINS ARE A MUST FOR WINTER TRAVEL. PLAN YOUR TRIP
CAREFULLY. LISTEN TO WEATHER FORECASTS AND KEEP UP-TO-DATE ON THE
LATEST WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES FOR YOUR ROUTE OF TRAVEL. PLAN AN
ALTERNATE ROUTE SHOULD WEATHER BECOME A PROBLEM. BE SURE TO LET
SOMEONE KNOW YOUR PLANNED AND ALTERNATE ROUTES. TRAVEL BY DAYLIGHT
USING MAJOR HIGHWAYS WHERE POSSIBLE. NEVER TRAVEL ALONE. KEEP YOUR
GAS TANK AS NEARLY FULL AS POSSIBLE. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN TRAFFIC OR
THE WEATHER MAY SLOW YOU DOWN OR BRING YOU TO A STOP. EVEN IF YOU
RESTRICT YOUR WINTER DRIVING, CERTAIN SUPPLIES CAN HELP IN AN
EMERGENCY. KEEP BASIC ITEMS ON HAND AND AVAILABLE SUCH AS A
WINDSHIELD SCRAPER, BATTERY BOOSTER CABLES, A BAG OF SAND OR GRAVEL
AND A FLASH LIGHT. FOR LONGER TRIPS YOU MIGHT WANT TO ADD A PORTABLE
RADIO (AND DON'T FORGET EXTRA BATTERIES), A FIRST AID KIT, ROAD MAPS,
SOME NON-PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS SUCH AS NUTS, DRIED FRUIT, AND/OR
CANDY AND A BLANKET OR QUILT.

DRIVE CAREFULLY AND DEFENSIVELY. DON'T TRY TO SAVE TIME BY TRAVELING
FASTER THAN ROAD AND WEATHER CONDITIONS ALLOW. IF WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS BEGIN TO TEST YOUR ABILITY AND ENDURANCE, DON'T HESITATE
TO SEEK SHELTER.

IF YOU SHOULD GET CAUGHT ON THE ROAD DURING A WINTER STORM, KEEP
CALM. HERE ARE A FEW TIPS TO HELP WITH YOUR SAFETY.

GIVE SOME INDICATION YOU ARE IN TROUBLE BY TURNING ON YOUR CAR'S
FLASHERS. RAISE THE CAR HOOD OR TIE A CLOTH TO AN ANTENNA OR DOOR
HANDLE. STAY IN THE CAR. DO NOT TRY TO WALK FROM THE CAR UNLESS YOU
CAN SEE SHELTER WITHIN A REASONABLE DISTANCE.

FOR HEAT, TURN ON THE CAR ENGINE FOR BRIEF PERIODS. TO AVOID
DEADLY CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING, ALWAYS LEAVE A DOWNWIND WINDOW
OPEN SLIGHTLY. ALSO, BE SURE THE EXHAUST PIPE OF THE VEHICLE IS
CLEAR OF DEBRIS SUCH AS SNOW WHEN THE ENGINE IS RUNNING.

EXERCISE FROM TIME TO TIME BY CLAPPING YOUR HANDS AND MOVING YOUR
ARMS AND LEGS. DO NOT STAY IN ONE POSITION TOO LONG. DO NOT
OVEREXERT YOURSELF EITHER BY TRYING TO SHOVEL SNOW OR BY PUSHING THE
CAR.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT

    JIM STEFKOVICH
    METEOROLOGIST IN CHARGE
    NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
    BIRMINGHAM, AL
    205-664-3010

OR VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/BMX.

$$

Category: Alabama's Weather