Worried about another severe winter storm in Austin? Here’s what you can do to prepare.

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Austin was 82 degrees last week, so it might not feel like it, but: winter is coming.

Rarely has winter in Texas been freezing temperatures, blackouts, and water outages, but the Texans learned all too well in February that the possibility of such occurrences is very real. Winter storm Uri brought heavy snow and ice, and the country’s power grid couldn’t keep up. Millions lost electricity, some for days. More than 200 people died nationwide.

This winter in central Texas is likely to be warmer and drier than usual, according to a seasonal forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. But the Farmer’s Almanac, which claims it predicted the storm in February, says the end of January could bring “potentially icy and flaky weather like last winter”. Whether or not Austin is hit by another winter storm, it is better to prepare now than during the event.

Austin’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) sponsors four main actions to prepare for emergencies like a winter storm: make a plan, build a kit, know your neighbors, and stay tuned.

Gather supplies for a kit

Perhaps the most important thing is to make sure you have a reserve for essentials. During the storm in February, many people were stranded at home for several days without electricity or running water.

Your emergency kit should contain everything from flashlights and bandages to blankets and a manual can opener. Ready.gov provides instructions in English and Spanish on how to build a kit.

You will also need food, water, and any prescription drugs that you depend on.

Matt Lara, a public information officer for the HSEM Austin office, says it’s best to get enough food, water, and medicine for seven days. When it comes to groceries, think of long-life foods like canned foods, dried fruits, granola, and protein bars. And you don’t have to buy in bulk at once.

“You don’t have to assemble your entire kit now. Start small and plan big, ”said Lara. “Take these little steps when you go to the store, take some extra canned food with you that will have a long shelf life so you don’t have to keep replacing it.”

For water, Lara says, a good rule of thumb is to keep a gallon of water per person per day for the seven days. Keep in mind that this water may need to be shared between drinking and other needs, such as having a drink. B. Hand washing, filling toilets and cooking.

To have a plan

If a disaster strikes you may not be with your family. Make a plan for how to contact them and where you will meet.

Telephones and computers can lose power in a winter storm. If so, you’ll need a list of your family members’ phone numbers and contact information for other important institutions, such as doctors and health care providers. FEMA provides instructions on how to prepare an emergency communication plan.

You should also consider the various needs of your family members. Are there certain emergency medical equipment that you will need in the event of a power failure? How do you protect your pets or service animals? Ready.gov offers tips on preparing an emergency kit for your pets and other ways to strengthen your emergency plan.

Know your neighbors

In a winter storm like the one we saw in February, snow and ice can make roads inaccessible and slow response times in an emergency. Therefore, it is important to understand your neighbors’ needs and how to help them in an emergency.

Your neighbor may have health concerns and need help getting around or taking medication. Or maybe they lost electricity and heat, but you haven’t.

Neighbors helping neighbors make the community more resilient, Lara says.

“That’s one less person that emergency services may have to come out and help, and when those little bits add up we can be more resilient overall,” Lara said. “It really makes an impact, only these little things can go a long way.”

Know where to get information

During an emergency, you want to keep up to date with the latest information. Lara says to log into Warn Central Texas to receive notifications of what action to take. You can sign up for notifications by text message, email, or phone. You can also download the Ready Central Texas app, which provides news updates, alerts, and other resources.

Many people rely on their phones for information especially during power outages. Hence, it is good to have an emergency power source like a solar powered phone charger.

“We saw during the winter storm that it was cold, but it was certainly sunny,” said Lara. “So you can use anything that is charged via solar energy to give you some information that gets through.”

You can also consider purchasing a NOAA weather radio to keep up to date. These radios provide weather information from the nearest national weather service. You can buy battery operated or winch versions.

“This is definitely a very good resource that we definitely recommend to everyone, a kind of third piece of communication,” said Lara. “We all depend on our phones and the internet. But the winter storm showed us, what do you do when that goes away? “

More tips we learned from February

After the last storm, some people buy things they thought they wouldn’t need before, like proper winter clothing or even emergency power generators if they can afford it. KUT posted a call on social media to see what new things the Austinites are doing to prepare.

But fair warning: Lara says if you come across a generator or new type of emergency preparation tool that you are not familiar with, make sure you learn how to use it so as not to harm yourself or others. FEMA warns against using a generator, camping stove, charcoal grill, or gasoline or propane heater indoors as these can ignite fires or cause fatal carbon monoxide poisoning.

This is how you reacted to our callout:

• Propane gas heating for indoor use, portable solar panel for charging devices, emergency radio, water for two weeks, USB adapter – Schneems via Twitter
• Jackery generator with solar panel for charging, candles, buckets, maybe a water filter like Lifestraw, baby wipes – Caroline B via Twitter
• Putting up a tent to sleep inside – karawaane via Twitter
• Sleeping bags for extremely cold temperatures – Westchester Gasette via Twitter
• A snowsuit for newborns, proper winter gloves and boots – Marcela Gomez via Twitter

Filled up with water, bought newborns a snowsuit, procured replacement food, ordered proper winter gloves and boots (which we could do without until last winter). If we could afford it, we would buy a four-wheel drive vehicle. Last year we had to be rescued. Don’t take chances with baby here.

– Marcela Gomez (@marcelagmzfcn) November 19, 2021

• Canned water, hand and foot warmers, firewood – Fiona Lachatte via Twitter
• Outer Faucet Covers – Nick Olivier via Twitter
• “I started talking to an advisor about how nervous I am about winter coming this year.” – shalynelise via Instagram
• “I can do very little [actually] in relation to the preparation of the unit in which I am staying. … replenishing the groceries and supplies that I can afford is a very slow process [contingent] on my monthly budget. I think the best / only real preparation I can do is mental and emotional work. ”- moth_dance on Instagram
• A collapsible 4-gallon water tank and a mini generator – miro_cassetta via Instagram
• Mylar blankets, a few additional lanterns – vermoots via Instagram
• “Disposable crockery and cutlery when you can’t wash. Reusable HEB bags and tape have proven their worth for sealing the windows / doors / vents. ”- lrhill via Instagram
• “The mutual aid of the community kept us alive by distributing firewood and water.” – Marie Catrett on Facebook
• Blackout curtains to isolate rooms – Victoria Cbo via Facebook

How are you? Tell us in an audio message here and we could use it in some upcoming radio story.

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https://www.kut.org/energy-environment/2021-11-22/worried-about-another-severe-winter-storm-in-austin-heres-what-you-can-do-to-prepare