Many people don’t give serious thought to preparing for a blizzard. Let’s face it, compared to a tornado, hurricane or flood, a blizzard seems pretty benign. But if you don’t know how to prepare for a blizzard, you could be putting your safety – and the safety of your family – in great jeopardy.

To be clear: Winter storms and blizzards can pose great risk to a family and, in particular, the elderly. It can leave people stranded without power, running low on food and – if pipes freeze – water. The list of ways to prepare for a blizzard is nearly endless, but we’ve created an easy list of essential items to preparing for a blizzard and giving you a better chance of coming through with only a fun adventure, rather than a harrowing tale of survival.

Make sure your house has:
• Flashlights and extra batteries.
• Battery-powered radio, preferably an NOAA weather radio, to receive emergency information.
• Extra food and bottled water. High energy food, such as dried fruit or candy, and canned food requiring no cooking or refrigeration is best. Note: Keep a manual can opener in the house in case the power goes out!
• Make sure you have enough medicine, first aid supplies and baby items.
• An alternate heat source and plenty of heating fuel. An open hearth fireplace may be pretty, but it doesn’t provide much heat, and if you only rarely use it, your chimney might not be safe enough to have a really hot fire in the first place. A wood stove or oil heater will give off much more heat, but make sure you’re familiar with their operation before a storm comes.
• Fire extinguisher and smoke detector.

Other blizzard preparation tips:
• Keep your chimney and furnace exhaust clear of snow. A blocked chimney or furnace vent can lead to a build-up of carbon monoxide.
• Shovel gradually – don’t try to lift too much snow and exhaust yourself. Don’t stay out so long that frostbite sets in. Stay inside as much as possible.
• If you have no heat, close off unneeded rooms and fill the gaps under doors with towels to stop drafts. Let your faucets drip to avoid frozen and broken pipes.

Many parts of the country have experienced a mild winter thus far, but preparing for a blizzard or unforeseen snowstorm should be a part of every family’s safety regimen, just like knowing what to do in a fire or other emergency. And if you know how to prepare for a blizzard, you’ll be better able to help others who may need your assistance.

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*Content expressed in Home Security Source does not represent the thoughts and opinions of ADT Security Services, Inc. unless explicitly indicated.