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Bob Crager
Bob Crager of Lewis Street Glass is a 26 year veteran in the glass business. Lewis Street Glass is a leading Wichita Glass company, serving the entire Wichita/Sedgwick County area since 1919. They do anything and everything having to do with glass, both residential and commercial. They also do Auto glass. They are located at 743 South Market, facing Kellogg on the South, and you can reach them by phone at (316) 263-8259. You can email Bob Crager at bcrager@lewisstreetglass.com
Glass
2011-11-17 13:38:01
Winter weather and holiday preparedness
A: We always try to bring you, our readers, valuable and helpful information that will be educational, and sometimes even entertaining. In light of your question, and the time of year it is, we thought that it might be good to talk about some of the things we all should be doing to make certain that in the event of a really bad weather event, such as the ice storm we had about 6 years ago, what should we have on hand or available to get us through a bad spot of several days of being “holed up” without outside access to some of the staples? When winter storms come barreling through Kansas off of the Rockies, we can experience blizzard conditions, and worse. For some of the seniors, and the rest of us in this area, it can become pretty serious quickly. Since we usually answer questions about your windows and doors, let’s write this time about things that can actually save lives, if the following information is followed. The Kansas weather can get us focused on much more than just taking good care of our windows and doors, which we always recommend. We don’t like to dwell on it, but when the power goes off for several days, as it did back during the big ice storm in 2005, we all saw the need to develop alternative methods of keeping warm and feeding ourselves till the storm passed. Winter storms can also be deceptive killers because most deaths are indirectly related to the actual storm. The major causes of these deaths are automobile or other transportation accidents, exhaustion and heart attacks caused by overexertion, simply “freezing to death,” and asphyxiation from improper ventilation of our heating sources. House fires occur more frequently in the winter due to lack of proper safety precautions when using alternate heating sources, such as unattended fires and space heaters. As with most potential disasters, your advance preparedness, monitoring the heating devices, and common sense can minimize the dangers to you and your family. Before the winter storms begin, it makes some sense to acquire some particular supplies that would prepare you and yours to survive on your own for 2 or 3 days. There should be some non-perishable food, bottled water, flashlights and extra batteries around the house, along with a portable radio or NOAA Weather Radio in case of power outages or other emergencies. Additional items that should be included on your Winter Weather Supply List are a freshly-stocked first-aid kit, essential prescription medicines, foods that require no refrigeration such as canned goods, dried fruits and nuts, a non-electric can opener, water (one gallon per person, per day), baby-care items, extra blankets, sleeping bags and a fire extinguisher. Additional ideas you might consider are: Have extra alternative heating fuels, as regular sources may be cut off. Have emergency heating equipment and fuel (such as a gas fireplace, wood burning stove or fireplace) so you can keep at least one room at a livable temperature. Be sure the room is well ventilated. We don’t want to read about you in the papers. Make sure your home is properly insulated. Caulk and weather-strip doors and windows now to keep cold air out (again, do this now before the blizzard hits). Install storm windows or you could even cover windows with plastic from the inside to provide extra insulation. To keep pipes from freezing, wrap them in foam insulation or even layers of newspapers, covering the newspapers with plastic to keep out moisture. Let your faucets drip or run a little to avoid freezing. Know where and how to shut off all of your water valves, including the main valve. Suggested items for a Winter Emergency Car Kit include a flashlight with extra batteries, a basic first-aid kit, necessary medications, a pocket knife, booster cables, a blanket or a sleeping bag for each person, extra clothes (including rain gear, mittens and socks), non-perishable foods, a non-electric can opener, sand for generating vehicle traction, tire chains or traction mats, a basic tool kit (pliers, wrench, screwdriver), a tow rope, a container of water and a brightly colored cloth to serve as a flag, if that becomes necessary. Ensure that your tires have adequate tread and always keep your gas tank at least half-full. A full tank can save your life. Plan long trips carefully, listening to the latest weather reports and road conditions. Travel during the day, and if possible, try to take someone along with you. Take this seriously: About 70% of winter deaths related to snow and ice occur in automobiles. Keep a windshield scraper and small broom for ice and snow removal, and in the cold weather season, keeping a small shovel and a few bags of ice melt and sand in the trunk with your other supplies can also come in handy. Put some distress flares and lighters in your vehicle, and if you’re caught out along the road by a blizzard, pull off the highway. Turn on hazard lights, run the engine and heater about 10 minutes each hour to keep warm and conserve your fuel. When the engine is running, open the window slightly for ventilation. This is important: in a bad snowstorm, periodically clear the snow from the exhaust pipe. This can prevent carbon monoxide poisoning from getting inside the car. If everyone is getting sleepy together, get out of that car…you’re being gassed and may not know it! Exercise to maintain body heat, but avoid overexertion. In extreme cold, use road maps, seat covers and floor mats for insulation. Huddle with passengers. Take turns sleeping. One person should be awake at all times to look for rescue crews. Drink fluids to avoid dehydration. Be careful not to waste battery power. Balance electricity energy needs: the use of lights, heat and radio. At night, turn on the inside lights so work crews and rescuers can see you in the dark! A shortwave radio is another good communications device. Your Cell phone might not get a signal along the road you’re on. Remember to take the charger for your phone along so you don’t get caught out with a “smart phone” and no charger to allow you to use it to reach out for help. Dress for the weather coming your way, wearing several layers of loose fitting, lightweight, warm clothing, rather than one layer of heavy clothing. The outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent. Mittens are better than gloves. Wear a hat; most body heat is lost through the top of the head. Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs. Be careful when shoveling snow. Over-exertion can bring on a heart attack, one of the major causes of death in the winter. Watch for signs of frostbite: loss of feeling and white or pale appearance in the extremities such as fingers, toes, ear lobes or the tip of the nose. If symptoms are detected, seek medical help immediately. Watch for signs of hypothermia, which can be different from frostbite. These can present as uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness and apparent exhaustion. If symptoms are detected, get the victim to a warm location asap, remove any wet clothing, warm the center of the body first and give warm, non-alcoholic beverages, if the victim is conscious. Get medical help, as soon as possible. Develop a “Family Emergency Communication Plan” in case family members are separated from one another during a winter storm (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), and have a plan for getting back together. Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the ‘family contact. After a disaster, it is often easier to call long distance than it is to make a local call. Don’t ask me why…Make sure everyone including your children knows the name, address and telephone number of the contact person for this emergency. We’ll talk about windows and glass and other great stuff again next month, but we believe that answering this question could save a life, or at a minimum, get you all prepared for the winter weather that might be headed our way. Remember, “if you don’t like the weather here in Kansas, just wait 15 minutes, and it’ll change!” Stay warm, and we’ll have more helpful information for you next month…
 
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