Joni Kristenson RN/PHN, the Cook County public health coordinator, shares the following suggestions from the Centers for Disease Control for facing the long winter ahead.
Food and Safety Checklist
Have a week’s worth of food and safety
supplies. If you live far from other
people, have more supplies on hand.
Essential items to have on hand:
. D rinking water
. Canned-no-cook food such as bread,
crackers, dried fruits
. N on-electric can opener
. B aby food and formula (if you have a
baby)
. Prescription drugs and other
medicine
. First-aid kit
. R ock-salt to melt ice on walkways
. S upply of cat litter or bag of sand to
add traction on walkways
. Flashlight and extra batteries
. B attery-powered lamps or lanterns
Heating Checklist
Have at least one of the following heat
sources in case the power goes out:
. Fireplace with plenty of dry firewood
or gas log fireplace
. Portable space heaters or kerosene
heaters
AND:
. N ever place a space heater on top of
furniture or near water.
. U se electric space heaters with
automatic shut-off switches and
non-glowing elements.
. K eep heat sources at least 3 feet
away from furniture and drapes.
. N ever leave children unattended
near a space heater.
Water Checklist
The CDC recommends that
homeowners keep a water supply of 1
gallon per person in the household on
hand in case of an emergency.
. A s temperatures drop, be aware
that extreme cold can cause water
pipes in your home to freeze and
sometimes break. Keep the indoor
temperature warm. Allow more
heated air near pipes. Open kitchen
cabinet doors under the kitchen
sink.
. If your pipes do freeze, do not thaw
them with a torch. Thaw the pipes
slowly with warm air from an electric
hair dryer.
. In an emergency—if no other water
is available—snow can be melted
for water. Bringing water to a rolling
boil for one minute will kill most
germs but won’t get rid of chemicals
sometimes found in snow.
Keep the following safety
equipment on hand:
. Chemical fire extinguisher
. S moke alarm and carbon monoxide
detector in working order. Check
once a month and change batteries
twice a year.
Cooking and Lighting Checklist
. N ever use charcoal grills or portable
gas camp stove indoors—the fumes
are deadly.
. A void using candles.
. N ever leave lit candles alone.
Car and Emergency Checklist
Prepare your car with emergency
supplies.
. Cell phone, charged and ready to go;
portable charger and extra batteries
. S hovel
. W indshield scraper
. B attery-powered radio,
and extra batteries
. Flashlight and extra batteries
. W ater
. S nack food
. E xtra hats, coats, mittens, warm
socks
. B lankets or sleeping bags
. Chains or rope
. T ire chains
. Canned compressed air with sealant,
emergency tire repair
. R oad salt and sand
. B ooster cables
. E mergency flares
. B right colored flag; help signs
. First aid kit
. T ool kit
. R oad maps
. Compass
. W aterproof matches and a can to
melt snow for water
. Paper towels
. Pocket knife
. Quarters for phone calls
. Pencil and paper
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