Home and Work Safety

Nebraska Winter Weather Awareness Day

Home and Work Safety

When a Winter Storm Strikes At Home, Work, or on the Ranch.

Stay Inside: When using alternate heat from a fireplace, wood stove, space heater, etc., use fire safeguards and properly ventilate. If you have no heat:Close off unneeded rooms, allow water faucets to drip at night to avoid bursting pipes, stuff towels or rags in cracks under doors, cover windows at night, wear layers of loose fitting clothing, be sure to eat and continue to replenish the body with fluids to prevent dehydration. Move animals to sheltered areas such as shelter belts or protected areas. Haul extra feed to nearby livestock feeding areas BEFORE the winter storm starts. Most animals die from dehydration in winter storms so have water available and keep it from freezing. Make sure pets have plenty of food, water and shelter.

AVOID OVEREXERTION, such as shoveling heavy snow, pushing a car or walking in deep snow. The strain from the cold and the hard labor may cause a heart attack. Sweating could lead to a chill and hypothermia.

During Winter Storms Have Available At Your Home or Workplace:

Flashlight with extra batteries
Battery powered NOAA All-Hazards Weather Radio
Extra food and water
Extra medicine and baby items
First-aid supplies
Heating fuel
Emergency heat source
Fire extinguisher, smoke alarm

Additional Information

Some of the pages listed below are in a PDF format. To view these files Download Adobe Reader

Winter Safety: National Website | Winter Storms: Deceptive Killers | Winter Safety Info (Red Cross)