(THREAD) Please read in its entirety. PREPARE TODAY for the significant icing, snow, and sleet expected for Thursday. Unfortunately, this storm is expected to impact the area's hardest hit from the last storm.

Once again, widespread power outages, significant tree damage, and travel disruptions are expected.
Forecasts can change quickly. Continue to monitor the forecast for your area! Have multiple ways to get alerts and warnings.

Charge your devices! Take inventory of what you need that relies on electricity, especially for medical reasons.

Restock your emergency supply kits with bottled water, nonperishable food, flashlights, extra batteries, blankets, portable phone chargers, and other needs specific to your family.

Prepare your home. Install and test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backups.

If travel is essential, make sure your car is prepared. Keep an emergency supply kit in your car.

Once again, we STRONGLY encourage you to stay home once the winter weather starts. But if travel is essential, please follow these driving safety tips.

Again, please do any errands TODAY. We can’t stress this enough: Once the storm starts, you must STAY OFF the roads as much as possible!

Bring your pets inside. They get cold, too!

If you’re using space heaters, know how to safely use them. Keep the heaters at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn, including people.

In case you lose power, know how to safely use a portable generator. Never use a portable generator in your home or garage. Keep them at least 20 feet away from windows, doors, and vents.

If you lose power, unplug electronics and appliances, don’t use a gas stove to heat your home, keep your refrigerator closed, don't use candles, and, again, only use a generator outdoors.

More safety and preparedness tips can be found at:
http://vaemergency.gov/winter-weather 

http://ready.gov/winter-weather 

http://weather.gov/winter 

#VaWx #GetReadyVA #WinterSafeVA #WinterSafety #FireSafety #WeatherReady #IceStorm2021