Be prepared ahead of the winter storm warning
Environment Canada has issued a winter storm warning and watch for much of Ontario, and a great deal of the United States has already been blanketed with snow.
This visible image was captured by the GOES-13 satellite and shows the low pressure area stretching from the Colorado Rockies and Texas east to New England. The image shows the storm on Feb. 1 at 1401 UTC (2:31 p.m. EST) by the NASA GOES Project, located at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The GOES series of satellites are operated by NOAA. Credit: NOAA/NASA GOES Project Click to enlarge
Insurer RSA is reminding Canadians to take safety precautions at home and in the car before the weather turns extreme.
“Winter storms can sometimes leave people snowed-in at home or trapped in their vehicles, and in the event this happens, it’s very important to take the proper precautions to stay safe and warm,” says Irene Bianchi, Vice President, Claims & Corporate Services, RSA Canada. “When unexpected weather conditions hit, it is best to be prepared by driving slowly, or not at
all if possible, have emergency kits on hand in both vehicles and homes.”
If you have to travel in inclement weather, RSA offers the following tips:
- Use extreme caution when travelling in your vehicle.
- If you become stuck in your vehicle due to dangerous weather conditions, remain inside and provide a signal to rescuers such as placing a brightly visible cloth in a window where it will be visible.
- Start the car once an hour and leave it running for 10 minutes. Keep the exhaust pipe clean so that fumes can escape
RSA recommends having an emergency travel kit prepared for both vehicles and homes. The vehicle kit should include:
- Blanket
- Flashlight and batteries
- Fully-charged cell phone
- Extra clothing – includes hats, gloves and boots
- First aid kit
- Map or GPS
- Bottled water
- Ice scraper and/or snow brush
- Flares
- Extra windshield washer fluid
- Battery booster cables
- Bag of sand or salt
- Shovel
- Candy or chocolate bar for energy
- Paper towels
- Matches
In the event of power outages or becoming snowed in, it’s wise to also have an emergency kit in the home that contains:
- Bottled water
- Flashlights/battery powered lantern
- Fully charged cell phone
- Non-perishable food items
- Essential medications
- Essential items for babies or elderly people with special needs
