TO: ALL WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AMATEURS
ALL NON-WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AMATEURS
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED
WV ARES BULLETIN NR 09.43 DATE: October 25, 2009
SUBJECT: BE PREPARED COME WINTER WEATHER
It's that time of year again, cold and sometimes miserable weather, snow, ice storms, freezing rain, etc. Predicting the weather and when it will hit is a touchy job, so we'll leave that up to the National Weather Service.
In the mean time we should prepare ourselves for winter weather, severe or not, in the event we are needed to respond to an emergency or disaster. As always, emergencies and disasters seem to occur during the most inclement weather.
Some of the clothing we should have handy in case we are called to respond might be: Insulated underwear, very warm gloves, an extra pair of gloves, scarf (or face covering), hat, very warm coat or snow suit, heavy socks, boots (hopefully water proof), a rain coat, and any other items of clothing you feel may protect you from severe weather, (think cold and wet).
Other items that might be needed: A thermos to provide a warm drink, water container (fluids are important even in winter), a plastic bag or covering for your HT, extra HT batteries (as always), a pencil and paper, and any of your usual communications items. Do not depend on an ink pen as a writing utensil, they are affected by extreme cold and/or wet conditions, and may not function.
We should also make sure our vehicle is ready for a winter response. Have your antifreeze either checked or changed, keep plenty of fuel in it, make sure your battery is in top shape and have a set of tire chains.
Having an extra battery at your station, and a way to strap it in your vehicle, could be extremely helpful as an emergency power source for radios or vehicle.
Start preparing for winter weather now. We've already had a couple of very cold nights of ice and heavy frost. Don't let these warm days fool you; winter is just around the corner.
Ken Harris WA8LLM
Wood County WV
WV ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
WV ARES District 3 Emergency Coordinator