BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) – Brown County officials are reminding residents to be prepared ahead for the impact of potentially extreme winter storm events this season.
“We all had that first taste of the snowstorm that came through now it’s a reminder for us to make sure that we’re taking the necessary precautions and preparedness for one of those events that may take place,” said County Executive Troy Streckenbach. “The best way for us to stay alive and protect our loved ones is to make sure that we have things in our vehicle in case we become stranded or break down during a winter storm.”
“It’s not uncommon for power to go out for a few hours in brown county. but in extreme situations, the power could go out for days or even weeks due to ice storms technical issues or some other natural causes,” said Emergency Management Coordinator Sam Martin. “Make sure that you have enough stuff to stay warm within your house like blankets, sleeping bags, things like that – as well as heavy duty clothing that you have inside your house so you don’t have to go outside to get it.”
Several common items that people should have in their vehicle emergency kits include:
- Cell phone car chargers
- Drinking water
- Duct Tape
- First Aid Kit with a pocketknife
- Shovel & Windshield Scraper
- Matches
- Blankets, extra hats, socks, and mittens
- Booster cables & Tow ropes or chains
- Sand or Cat Litter
- Emergency flares
- Fluorescent distress flags
Examples of supplies that could be useful during winter storms. (PHOTO: WTAQ News)
“If you can’t stay warm, that cellphone is worthless. Stay warm, have some food and water just to sustain yourself, but have blankets or a sleeping bag in your car – something to stay warm when the winter weather hits,” Martin said. “The more prepared you are, and the more resilient you are, the less you’re going to be dependent on government services to come and help you when they may be busy with other emergencies.”
Having extra, high-calorie food that doesn’t need to be warmed up to eat and about a gallon of water per-person is typically the recommendation. It’s also a good idea to have flashlights, a battery-powered NOAA weather radio, extra medications, and proper ventilation for any heat sources.
“Seconds matter. The longer that you can maintain stability or safety for first responders to be able to respond, it gives you a better chance to survive,” Streckenbach said. “Of course, these are extreme precautions. We hope that these things don’t happen. But at the same time, we know that for those who have are prepared, they extend their chances of successfully weathering the storm…What happens in the middle of winter and all of a sudden, we lose electricity for a few days? Are we prepared? Have we started thinking about those certain situations?”
While generators are a great option, Martin says to make sure they’re not operating inside your home – or even near open windows or doors.
“One of the most life-threatening situations other than the cold and exposure to the cold is carbon monoxide poisoning. Unfortunately, that’s a very common event in the country and we’ve had a few instances in Brown County,” Martin said. “Do not use charcoal pellets or propane power grows inside the house or even inside your garage. Those areas are not designed to have these items burning inside them, and carbon monoxide can build up quite quickly…The gas companies also recommend that you not use stoves and ovens for heating because these items are not designed for long term use to heat up large areas and they can overheat and cause a fire.”
You can receive emergency notifications from the county by signing up for their CodeRED program or by texting ‘BrownCountyWI’ to 99411.
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