EAU CLAIRE (WQOW) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is sharing best practices to prepare for an emergency situation.
Travel is not advised until Saturday, December 24, and FEMA recommends postponing any holiday trips until then. If you absolutely must travel, here’s how to prepare.
- Make sure your vehicle has a full tank of gas.
- Don’t leave on your trip without a fully charged cell phone and a charging cable.
- Pack an emergency car kit, including items like jumper cables, a shovel, a snow brush, blankets, food, water and medication.
- Plan your route, and make sure you know where potential shelter and rest stops are along the way.
- Communicate your travel route and plans to others. Make sure someone on both ends of your trip knows when you are leaving, which roads you are taking and when you expect to arrive.
Officials at FEMA also shared a few thoughts on what to do if you end up unable to continue your trip.
“If you are ever stranded in a vehicle, the most important thing is to stay in your vehicle when it is safe to do so,” said Tom Sivak, the regional administrator for FEMA’s region five, which includes Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. “There are situations where it’s not safe, and you have to make that decision if you’re traveling. Ensure that you have access to your car Kit. It’s not in the trunk. You might not be able to access the trunk.”
There are concerns for those who are able to stay home as well. FEMA recommends stocking an emergency kit at home in case of a power outage, with the same sort of items included in the car kit — minus the jumper cables, of course.
A back-up generator is a good idea if possible, but FEMA wants to remind you to never use a gas-powered generator indoors. And make sure you have functioning smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
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