January 31, 2017 | Tip of the Month
The severe winter storm that impacted a large swath of the US in mid-January highlighted that few of us are immune to such hazards. CERF+ has worked with artists who have had:
- Frozen water pipes burst, flooding studios
- Ice-ladened trees or heavy snow load destroy studio roofs
- Studio fires caused by weather damaged exterior wires or overburdened interior wiring
It’s best to be prepared!
To begin preparing, you should have:
- Home and studio emergency supplies kits. Basic supplies include:
- Water: At least three days’ supply at one gallon per person per day
- Food: at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
- Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- First aid kit
- Battery backup or an alternative (solar, etc.) charger for your cell phone
- Some emergency cash on hand. Stores may not be able to accept anything but cash and nearby ATMs may not be functioning.
- A plan for safely heating your home and studio without electricity from utilities. Even if you don’t heat with electricity, your heating system probably depends on it to function.
- A gas tank that’s at least half full. The nearest working gas station may be an hour away.
- A car emergency supplies kit that includes many of the home emergency items plus a shovel, extra winter clothes, blanket, tow strap, booster cables, and flares.
- A power inverter that gives you the ability to power a few home electrical appliances using your car battery.
- A business insurance policy that includes coverage for protection against winter hazards.
Here are some resources for information on preparing for a power outage and winter storms:
- Power Outage preparedness tips and resources at CERF+’s Studio Protector
- Ready.gov’s Winter Storm and Extreme Cold preparedness resources: www.ready.gov/winter-weather
- Ready.gov’s Emergency Supply Kit information and tips: www.ready.gov/kit
- Iowa State University’s Power Outages and Your Business fact sheet on their prep4agthreats.org website: www.prep4agthreats.org/Assets/Factsheets/Power-Outages-and-Your-Business.pdf
- CERF+ Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Tip of the Month
- There are smartphone apps that will sense your location (if location services are activated) and give you the NOAA weather alerts, as long as your cell phone is on and the app is active: CERF+ Emergency Alert Apps Tip of the Month