Prepare for winter weather worries

By SCOTT NILES Courier staff writer

November 19, 2008 11:05 pm

— OTTUMWA — Last winter, Iowans felt the wrath of snowy and icy conditions. This winter season, experts say now is the time to prepare.
Driving, of course, can be one of the most dangerous tasks during the winter months.
Iowa State Patrol Trooper Jim Karp said there are several things drivers can do.
“This does not only apply to winter months though; most of this information can also be applied all year long,” he said.
The No. 1 tip: avoid speeding and give yourself enough time to arrive at your destination.
Other tips include avoiding the use of cell phones while driving, leaving more distance between you and the vehicle ahead, being careful when driving over bridges, keeping the gas tank full, keeping windows clear, not activating cruise control while on slippery surfaces, driving below the speed limit if necessary with road conditions, keeping tires properly inflated and not warming up vehicles in enclosed areas.
Karp said during the 2006 winter months, the Iowa State Patrol received 7,149 calls for roadside assistance statewide.
“People can call 5-1-1 from any phone before they leave for a destination to get up-to-date weather conditions,” he said.
Homeowners can also prepare for winter.
Alliant Energy Spokesman Ryan Stensland said there are some solutions to avoiding power outages and things residents can do if the power does go out.
“Probably the most important thing to remember when going into power outages with storms is that when you have an outage, call 1-800-ALLIANT and get the outage reported as soon as possible,” he said. “I know some people don’t like to talk to automated systems, but this is the best and quickest way to get power back on.”
He said the call goes directly to maintenance crews in the area and they are able to see where the most heavily targeted areas are and take care of that outage source first.
Stensland also said homeowners may be able to avoid power outages by having the trees trimmed before winter to ensure branches will not fall on power lines during an ice or snow storm.
Another tip: “Never touch a wire on the ground ... act like it is always ‘hot’ or ‘live,’” Stensland said.
He also suggested avoiding using candles as substitute light.
“It’s best to have a survival kit ready with a flashlight and batteries in case you need it so you are not scrambling around when the time comes,” he said.
In preparation for the upcoming winter season, the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency and Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management are encouraging residents to prepare for winter storms as well.
Those agencies suggest lowering the thermostat or closing off sections of the house to conserve fuel, dressing appropriately to reduce the threat of hypothermia or frostbite, avoiding overexertion during snow removal or while walking in deep snow and avoiding traveling, if possible.
“Seventy percent of winter storm-related deaths are related to traffic crashes on ice- or snow-covered roads,” the FEMA press release stated.
Scott Niles can be reached at (641) 683-5360 or via e-mail at sjniles@mchsi.com.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

For more information:
• FEMA’s Winter Weather Awareness Page:
http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/winter.shtm
• National Weather Service Winter Weather Awareness:
http://www.weather.gov/om/winter/index.shtml
• Iowa’s Be Ready Winter Weather Fact Sheet:
http://www.bereadyiowa.org/WinterStormFactSheet.pdf