Pennsylvania Blizzard Prep: Survival Guide For 2016

It’s no longer just rumor or speculation: a storm is coming this weekend, and the threat is serious enough that officials have issued a blizzard watch for southeastern Pennsylvania.

That doesn’t mean that every store in a densely suburban and urban area will automatically shut down, nor does it mean that the region will lose power.

>>With Potential Storm On The Way, Track Plow Progress

But when potentially severe weather is involved, it’s never a bad thing to be prepared for any contingency.

In Case of A Power Outage

To report an outage, contact PECO online here or via their emergency phone line: 1-800-841-4141.

PECO has a new feature, developed last summer, which allows you to track power outages around the region and the trajectory of when power will be restored in your specific neighborhood. To view this feature, see here.

PECO offers the following tips on what to do to stay safe during a power outage:

• Keep PECO’s emergency telephone number, 1-800-841-4141, handy with other emergency numbers near the telephone. Have at least one standard non-cordless telephone or a cellular phone available to make calls.
• Have a flashlight with fresh batteries on each floor of your home.
• Avoid using candles; a battery-operated lantern would be a better bet. If using candles, never leave them unattended.
• Have a battery-powered clock.
• Have sensitive electronic appliances, like microwave ovens, televisions and computers, protected with a voltage surge suppressor. The suppressor can eliminate the surge from lightning, fallen poles or other accidents before the surge can enter equipment and protects valuables from damage. If appliances are not protected, unplug them before a storm.
• Check the fuse or circuit breaker box to see if a fuse tripped inside the home.
• Check with the neighbors to see if their power is out.
• Call PECO at 1-800-841-4141 as soon as possible. Remember, call volume can become very busy during storms and the automated, interactive system allows the company to accept thousands of calls at a time and get your information to the right people faster. When more customers call, we can better manage our response efforts. Outages can also be reported on-line.
• Be sure to request a customer service representative if you can describe damage that has occurred, such as a downed pole or wires, etc.
• PECO will not supply dry ice during weather-related events, so that the company can focus its resources on power restoration activities.

Cold Weather Power Outage

• Turn off all appliances including your furnace, water heater and water pump.
• If the indoor temperature drops to 55 degrees Fahrenheit or below, open your faucets slightly so that they constantly drip to prevent pipes from freezing.
• During the day, open your blinds to allow sun to warm the space.
• At night, cover your windows with drapes or blankets to minimize heat loss.
• If you have a fireplace, never use gasoline or other flammable liquids to start or quicken a fire. Always keep a screen around an open flame, and don’t close the damper while ashes are still hot.
• Never use a gas range for room heating. This can be dangerous. Seek shelter at a warming center, friend or family if home temperatures fall too low.
• Wear extra layers of clothing and a hat to prevent the loss of body heat.

Safe Use of Generators

• Don’t connect your generator directly to your home’s wiring. Connecting a portable electric generator directly to your household wiring can be deadly to you and others. A generator that is directly connected to your home’s wiring can “backfeed” onto the power lines connected to your home. Utility transformers can then “step-up” or increase this backfeed to thousands of volts - enough to kill a utility lineman making outage repairs a long way from your house.
• Never use a generator indoors or in an attached garage. Just like your automobile, a portable generator uses an internal combustion engine that emits deadly carbon monoxide. Be sure to place the generator where exhaust fumes will not enter the house. Only operate it outdoors in a well-ventilated, dry area, away from air intakes to the home, and protected from direct exposure to rain and snow, preferably under a canopy, open shed or carport.
• Never plug a portable electric generator into a regular household outlet. Plugging a generator into a regular household outlet can energize “dead” power lines and injure neighbors or utility workers.
• Don’t overload the generator. Do not operate more appliances and equipment than the output rating of the generator. Overloading your generator can seriously damage your valuable appliances and electronics.
• Use the proper power cords. Plug individual appliances into the generator using heavy-duty, outdoor-rated cords with a wire gauge adequate for the appliance load. Overloaded cords can cause fires or equipment damage. Don’t use extension cords with exposed wires or worn shielding.
• Read and adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions for safe operation. Don’t cut corners when it comes to safety. Carefully read and observe all instructions in your portable electric generator’s owner manual.
• Turn off all equipment powered by the generator before shutting down your generator.

Prepping Your Grocery List

By now, most of us know that we’re supposed to stock up on essentials such as a three-day supply of water (at least one gallon per person), prescription medications, batteries, flashlights and fuel.

But the recommendation to stockpile three days worth of food is a little less cut and dried when you’re trying to plan for meals in a world without refrigeration or a means to cook.

Nonperishable items include canned tuna, salmon, sardines, corned beef, beets, beans and fruit.

Here’s a shopping list of other items that will help keep you going that require neither cold nor heat to keep and prepare:

• Peanut butter or similar nut spreads and preserves (jellies, jams)
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Dried fruits and nuts
• Juices (particularly those that are not commonly found in the refrigerator section of the supermarket).
• Breads, muffins, bagels, tortillas
• Dry cereal or granola
• Powdered or canned milk
• Protein bars and protein shakes, such as Ensure.

Other items you might want to pick up while you’re at the store:

• A non-electric can opener
• Charcoal or propane for the grill
• Pet food
• Paper towels, paper plates, plastic utensils, and toilet paper.

Foods That Don’t Need To Be Refrigerated

Many of us tend to keep everything in the fridge but there are a number of items that don’t require refrigeration, or that can safely be left out of the fridge for a number of hours if not days. These include:

• Sauces such as salsa, ketchup, or mustard.
• Pickles or foods perserved in vinegar
• Salted butter and margarine
• Hard cheeses, such as cheddar, Swiss, provolone, and parmesan, processed cheeses, and Edam (which is encased in wax and traditionally is never refrigerated). Just make sure the cheese is well wrapped and sealed.
• The FDA doesn’t recommend leaving softer cheeses, such as Brie, out of the refrigerator. Cheese aficionados, however, often do this to give the cheese time to ripen at room temperature to bring out the flavor, (although even they’d say you’re pushing your luck if you leave it out for more than four days).
• Food experts also say that yogurt probably won’t do you any harm if it’s been out of the fridge for up to eight hours. The bacteria will continue to grow but the bacteria in yogurt is healthy. (The FDA errs on the side of caution here and recommends that you throw out yogurt if the fridge temperature rises above 40 degrees.)

Here are some tips from FEMA on how to manage food without power:

Be Prepared

• Have a refrigerator thermometer.
• Know where you can get dry ice.
• Keep a few days’ worth of ready-to-eat foods on hand that do not require cooking or cooling.

When the Power Goes Out

• Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.
• The refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours if it is unopened.
• Refrigerators should be kept at 40° F or below for proper food storage.

Once the Power is Restored

• Check the temperature inside the refrigerator and freezer. A full freezer should hold its temperature for 48 hours, or for 24 hours if it’s half full.
• If an appliance thermometer was kept in the freezer, check the temperature when the power comes back on. If the freezer thermometer reads 40° F or below, the food is safe and may be refrozen. If a thermometer has not been kept in the freezer, check each package of food to determine its safety. You can’t rely on appearance or odor. If the food still contains ice crystals or is 40° F or below, it is safe to refreeze or cook.
• Refrigerated food should be safe as long as the power was out for no more than four hours. Keep the door closed as much as possible.
• Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs or leftovers) that has been above 40° F for two hours or more.

Using Dry Ice:

• Under normal circumstances you should not keep dry ice in your freezer. If your freezer is functioning properly it will cause the unit to become too cold and your freezer may shut off. However, if you lose power for an extended period of time, dry ice is the best ways to keep things cold.
• Twenty-five pounds of dry ice will keep a 10-cubic-foot freezer below freezing for 3-4 days.
• If you use dry ice to keep your food cold, make sure it does not come in direct contact with the food.
• Use care when handling dry ice, wear dry, heavy gloves to avoid injury.

If you lose power and aren’t sure which refrigerated items are safe to eat and which need to be thrown away, the Food and Drug Administration has a fairly comprehensive list and food safety guidelines here.

You’ll also find guidelines for how to handle food that ends up underwater if your home is flooded. The basic rule in that case seems to be to throw out everything that isn’t in a watertight container. (Please note, twist tops aren’t considered water tight.)

Winterize Your Home

• Install storm shutters, doors and windows; clean out gutters; repair any roof leaks; and have a contractor check the stability of your roof in the event of a large accumulation of snow.

• Insulate walls and attic. Caulk and weather-strip doors and windows. Install storm windows, or cover windows with plastic from the inside.

• Have safe emergency heating equipment available. For residences with functioning fireplaces, keep an ample supply of wood. Utilize portable electric space heaters. Keep a fire extinguisher on hand.

• Install and check batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

• Make sure you have sufficient heating fuel; you may have difficulty obtaining fuel in the immediate aftermath of a bad storm.

• Service snow removal equipment, and have rock salt on hand to melt ice on walkways. Kitty litter can be used to generate temporary traction.

Winterize Your Car

• Make sure to have a mechanic check the following items on your vehicle:

1. Battery
2. Antifreeze
3. Windshield wipers and washer fluid
4. Ignition system
5. Thermostat
6. Lights (headlamps and hazard lights)
7. Exhaust system, heater, brakes, defroster

• Oil level (if necessary, replace oil with a winter oil or SAE 10w/30 variety)

• Install good winter tires that have adequate tread. All-weather radials are usually adequate for most winter conditions. However, some jurisdictions require vehicles to be equipped with chains or snow tires with studs.

• Regardless of the season, it’s a good idea to prepare for an in-car emergency. Assemble an Emergency Supply Kit for your vehicle, and consider adding the following items for winter conditions:

1. Blankets, sleeping bags, extra newspapers for insulation
2. Plastic bags (for sanitation)
3. Extra mittens, socks, scarves and hat, raingear and extra clothes
4. Sack of sand or kitty litter for gaining traction under wheels, small shovel
5. Set of tire chains or traction mats
6. Working jack and lug wrench, spare tire
7. Windshield scraper, broom
8. Small tools (pliers, wrench, screwdriver)
9. Booster cables
10. Brightly colored cloth to use as a flag, flares or reflective triangles

Tips for Staying Warm

Exposure to cold can cause life-threatening health conditions. Avoid serious conditions such as frostbite and hypothermia, by keeping warm.

• When outdoors, wear warm clothing and cover exposed skin. Use multiple layers to maintain warmth.

• Wear a hat, hood, or scarf, as most heat is lost through the head.

• Wear layers, as they provide better insulation and warmth.

• Keep fingertips, earlobes, and noses covered if you go outside.

• Keep clothing dry; if a layer becomes wet, remove it.

• Wear sturdy boots that provide traction to reduce slipping. Use handrails when using stairs.

What to Do Before a Storm Strikes

• Listen to NOAA Weather Radio and your local radio and TV stations for updated storm information. Know what winter storm watches and warnings mean.

• Check on relatives, friends, and neighbors who may need assistance preparing for a storm.

• Be alert to changing weather conditions and avoid unnecessary travel.

• Let faucets drip a little to help prevent freezing.

• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Know the Terms

• Freezing Rain: rain that freezes when it hits the ground, creating a coating of ice on roads, walkways, trees and power lines.

• Frost/Freeze Warning: issued when temperatures are expected to drop below freezing over a large area for an extended period of time.

• Sleet: rain that turns to ice pellets before reaching the ground. Sleet also causes moisture on roads to freeze and become slippery.

• Ice Storm: when ice accumulations are expected during freezing rain situations. Significant ice accumulations are usually 1/4 of an inch or greater.

• Wind Chill: the temperature it “feels like” when you are outside.

• Heavy Snow: snowfall accumulating to 4 inches or more in depth in 12 hours or less; or snowfall accumulating to 6 inches or more in depth in 24 hours or less.

• Winter Weather Advisory: issued by the National Weather Service when a combination of winter weather (snow, freezing rain, sleet, etc.) may present a hazard, but does not meet warning criteria.

• Winter Storm Watch: issued by the National Weather Service when there is a potential for heavy snow or significant ice, usually at least 24 to 36 hours in advance. The criteria for this watch can vary from place to place.

• Winter Storm Warning: issued by the National Weather Service when a winter storm is producing or is forecast to produce heavy snow or significant ice. The criteria for this warning can vary from place to place.

• Blizzard Warning: issued by the National Weather Service for winter storms with sustained or frequent winds of 35 mph or higher with considerable falling and/or blowing snow that frequently reduces visibility to 1/4 of a mile or less. These conditions are expected to last for a minimum of 3 hours.

Including reporting from Mary Ann Barton, Simone Wilson, Jayne Keedle, and Wendy Vincent.