CUYAHOGA COUNTY – November 15th to November 21st is 2015 Winter Weather Awareness Week. As temperatures drop this winter, the Cuyahoga County Office of Emergency Management offers steps people can take to stay safe during the cold weather.

Snow and ice storms, flooding from rapid thaws, extended power outages caused by winter storms, and illnesses caused by hypothermia or influenza are more likely to occur during the winter months.

• Wear Layers! Wearing layers of clothing will help prevent you from losing your body heat.
• Don’t forget Fido! Bring pets indoors. If they can’t come inside, make sure they have enough shelter to keep them warm and that they can get to unfrozen water.
• Remember the three feet rule! If you are using a space heater, place it on a level, hard surface and keep anything flammable at least three feet away – things such as paper, clothing, bedding, curtains or rugs.
• Protect your pipes! Run water, even at a trickle, to help prevent your pipes from freezing. Open the kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Keep the garage doors closed if there are water lines in the garage.
• Set the Temperature! Keep the thermostat at the same temperature day and night. Your heating bill may be a little higher, but you could avoid a more costly repair job if your pipes freeze and burst.
• Use generators outside! Never operate a generator inside the home, including in the basement or garage. Connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator.

Additional preparedness tips and information can be found at ReadyCuyahoga at http://ready.cuyahogacounty.us/en-US/General-Public.aspx

The Cuyahoga County Office of Emergency Management’s mission is to protect lives, property, the environment, and the economy. For additional information, contact us at 216-443-5700 or at ema@cuyahogacounty.us