With the right precautions, you can stay safe in winter
Christmas carols tell us that when King Wenceslas went to help a poor man in winter, a miracle kept him warm.
In Gilmer County, most of us must depend on preparation and wise decisions to achieve the same result.
From Monday, Dec. 1, to Friday, Dec. 5, Georgia Emergency Services ran a Winter Weather Preparedness Week.
The event was to inform Georgia residents on how to educate themselves about winter weather threats, prepare a family communications plan and keep a ready kit.
“Each day, there’ll be something new posted through our social media pages,” Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMHSA) External Affairs Specialist Mikayla Radley said.
The key to dealing with winter weather is being ready in advance, she said.
“Planning is a whole state effort,” Bradley said.
People can learn about the week’s events at Gema.georgia.gov.
The GEMHSA also has pages on Facebook, Instagram and X.
In winter, mountain roads in north Georgia can be difficult or impossible to navigate, even for people used to driving in snowy conditions.
“Winters can be harsh here,” Gilmer County Emergency Management (GCEM) Director Aaron Freeman said. “A lot of times they’re mild. But, sometimes, they’re nice.”
Under snowy conditions, the Department of Transportation only keeps a couple of roads open.
Therefore, people should expect bad road conditions in freezing temperatures and avoid going out if at all possible.
“The Road Department has a hard time keeping up with it,” he said. “Just stay off the road and try to prepare.”
Everyone should keep a “ready kit” of food, water and supplies for three days in their homes. This way, even if the roads don’t work, your family can still have what they need.
It can also be helpful to keep blankets and other supplies in your car.
Flashlights, first aid kits and a whistle can also be a help in disaster.
At home, it’s also important to keep water running on drip when temperatures are below freezing. Otherwise, pipes can freeze and burst. It’s especially important to take precautions on pipes that are poorly insulated. It can also be good to winterize your pipes to keep them from freezing.
“Pay attention to sensitive things,” Freeman said.
It’s also possible in winter for power to go out. For this reason, it’s useful to have a generator and fuel to run it.
However, if not used correctly, generators can be dangerous too. If it’s not properly ventilated, its fumes can suffocate people.
A generator needs to be a good distance away from your house, Freeman said. Otherwise, it can cause a buildup of deadly carbon monoxide gas.
Heaters should never be placed next to flammable material, he added. They should also be in good working condition.
“Don’t ever use any open flame in a house other than a fireplace that has been approved and cleaned,” he said.
For those who don’t have heat, the Gilmer County Warming Center opens when temperatures dip below freezing for most of the night. The center is located at 1561 South Main Street in Ellijay.
Although it’s hard to predict weather more than a few days in advance, GCEM expects this winter to have “Arctic Blast” events that will bring temperatures low, Freeman said.
“Things can get pretty bad,” he said. “We can’t know what Mother Nature’s gonna do.”