Preparing for a Winter Storm

As winter weather hits California, remember that small steps make a big difference!

During the later part of this week there will be expected winter storm weather that can impact travel, especially for our communities in Placer, El Dorado, and Sierra counties. It is recommended that you do NOT engage in mountain travels during the potential blizzard conditions that are expected Friday through early Saturday. 

If you do plan on traveling to outlying mountain counties, stay up-to-date with traffic and road conditions for this weekend by visiting the CalTrans Road Info webpage OR calling 1-800-427-7623 for real-time updates. For more information on traveling during a winter storm, check out this video: Don’t Crowd the Plow.

Be prepared for power outages and possible fallen trees in your area due to high winds. As always, be sure to have an emergency plan in place by taking the steps to prepare for a winter storm. Make sure that all essential items/goods are stocked, and portable power devices/batteries are charged and ready to use. If you have not already, sign up for emergency notifications in your respective areas.

Take action to keep yourself, your family, and your community safe by following these four (4) steps:

1. Get Alerts

Having access to important and up-to-date information is the best way to stay informed about severe weather conditions. Sign up for alerts by your county: Alpine, Colusa, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sierra, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba. 

2. Make a Plan

Having a plan in place will prepare you for a winter storm. You should:

• Create an emergency contact list,
  • Think of the people you want to stay in contact with in an emergency.
    • Do you have all their contact information, such as phone numbers and email addresses? 
    • Do you have a way to contact them at places like work or school? People on your list may not be home when a disaster happens. 
  • Pick one person, outside the area where you live who won’t be affected by your local disaster. You, your family, and others on your contact list might be able to check in as safe with that faraway relative or friend and share where you are.
  • Make sure your distant contact knows about being part of your communication plan. Discuss this with your contact and with everyone else on your list. Share a copy of the contact list with everyone who is on it. 
• Choose an emergency meeting place,
  • Sometimes, families get separated in a disaster. If it isn’t possible to stay safe at home, school, or work, you need another place to reunite. That way, you and your family can be together. Plan where you will meet and how everyone will get there. 
  • You need to talk to everyone on your local contact list about where to meet up. 
    • Choose familiar places. Pick a meeting place in your neighborhood, one outside of your neighborhood, and one outside of your town. 
    • Your meeting places could be the home of a relative or friend or a store, library, or park. 
    • If you have pets or service animals, think about animal-friendly places to meet. 
  • Make sure that everyone knows where your meeting places are and practice getting to them. Know that your meeting place might have to change based on the kind of emergency you face. You must be ready to go in the safest direction to the nearest safe place with little or no warning. 
• Decide who to rely on,
  • When conditions are changing fast, you need the latest information, which may come from the fire department, elected officials, and the police or sheriff’s department. 
  • You may see police officers on the roads when you evacuate. They are trying to get everyone out fast. No one managing an evacuation route will stop you and ask you for identification. 
• Know how to evacuate, 
  • Thinking calmly now about potential problems as you evacuate might save you during a disaster. 
    • Get a paper map in case local internet and cell services aren’t working. You can print one from an online map or check with your county to see if they have an Evacuation Planning Area Map. 
    • Mark multiple escape routes on your map in case you cannot use major roads or highways. Practice these routes using the transportation you would take in a disaster. Involve the people you would leave with, and practice evacuating any pets. 
    • If you don’t have a car, check in with your local transit agency. Ask for the best ways to reach safety when many other people might be leaving at the same time. 
  • Every minute you spend practicing now will reward you in a real emergency. You will know what to do, and you can help others, too. 
• Find shelter. 
  • If you cannot reach the home of a friend or family member, dial 2-1-1 and find a free public shelter. You can ask the operator which public shelters are best for people with disabilities and which shelters accept pets that are not service animals.
  •  If you have concerns about seeking shelter, please know: 
    • Everyone is welcome at emergency shelters. 
    • Under California state law, all public shelters must be accessible and no one running an evacuation shelter can ask you for identification. 

3. Pack a Go Bag

Most disasters are unexpected and happen fast. You might not have time to shop, or even to pack. Pack up important items now, so you and your family will have what you need later. 

Pack a Go Bag for when you have to leave home in a hurry. Pack things for each member of your household. Think about what you would take if you had 15 minutes of notice to leave your home. Now, think if you had just two minutes.

What to pack:

• documents,
• map,
• cash,
• contact list,
• first aid supplies,
• toiletries.

4. Build a Stay Box

In some disasters, you may be safer staying at home. Damage from the disaster might make that uncomfortable. You might not have water to drink, to bathe or to flush the toilet. You might have no electricity to keep your food cold, turn on a light or charge your phone.

Add items to a Stay Box, for when you can’t leave home. Prepare for at least 3 days without water or electricity. Save up a little at a time, until you have enough for everyone in your household to get by. Remember any pets. If you already own a flashlight or a portable radio, keep it someplace easy to find.

Your Stay Box should or may include:

• up to three (3) gallons of water (or more depending on the household),
• non-perishable food (think food that doesn’t easily spoil like canned soup),
• trash bags and a bucket (this may act as your toilet),
• to keep medical equipment charged, you may need  backup power (if you use medical equipment),
• first aid equipment (for minor injuries like cuts).