This Winter Storm
Hey y'all, I am improbably writing you from an airport lounge on the other side of the planet. But if this finds you in the United States before about 10:00am Saturday, you have a solid chance of putting together some necessities before you are potentially stuck in place for a little while.
A few things to remember:
- There is no reason to panic buy beyond what you need for the next few days to a week, tops. All you're doing is taking from other people trying to stock up. Be kind to one another.
- The best thing you can do if you lose heat and power is hole up in one smallish room with everyone in the house. Line the door with blankets and tape towels or light blankets to the windows. If you plan on lighting candles or anything else that uses fuel of some kind, do not seal yourself up tight. You'll die. Leave some space for fresh(er) air. Pile together and layer your clothes and blankets in a bed. Another good idea is to camp in; pitch a tent to more easily retain your body heat.
- Drip your faucets and open the cabinets beneath them. Keep them as warm as you can without doing something silly like putting a candle under a pipe. The last thing you want is to deal with a burst pipe just as your home is beginning to freeze.
- If you are in the forecasted freezing rain region, brace for an extreme length of time without power. Consider pooling resources and shelter with your neighbors. If not, check on your neighbors once it's safe for you to move about.
This storm could be one for the history books. Don't take it too lightly. You should know the government isn't pulling us out of this; it's the workers and your community or nobody.