Make sure you are well prepared for winter conditions

Christchurch people may have their earthquake supplies fully stocked but the Canterbury community needs to check it is prepared for possible inclement winter weather. The Canterbury Civil Defence Emergency Management Group would like to remind people to stock up on essential items, just in case we have any power outages or travel interruptions as a result of bad weather as we move in to winter. In previous years heavy snowfall has led to road closures and power outages affecting large parts of Canterbury. The snow falls in July and August last year cut power to thousands of homes, left many roads impassable and closed airports. “People need to be prepared now for the possibility that this winter could again bring hazardous weather conditions to Canterbury,” said Neville Reilly, Regional Civil Defence Group Controller. “For general readiness, every household should create and practise a Household Emergency Plan, and assemble and maintain emergency survival items. “Everyone should have the necessities in place to be able to be self-sufficient for three days in the event of road closures and power cuts. “This includes having stocks of food, water, warm clothing, fuel, alternative lighting and other emergency supplies on hand.  We would also encourage people to make sure their homes are properly insulated. Installing heat tape on exterior pipes can help prevent water systems from freezing,” he said. Neville Reilly said checking supplies in your car is another good thing to do and advised people who use power managers to make sure they are topped up as we come in to the heart of winter He added there are a number of places people can find information on weather conditions and warnings including www.metservice.com and www.cdemcanterbury.govt.nz . Motorists considering driving over mountain passes in winter are advised to take chains with them in case of snow and to check road conditions and the weather forecast before setting out. Even in small quantities, snow can be hazardous. It only takes a few centimetres on a road to make driving dangerous. A list of emergency supplies can be found below. Specific Emergency Preparedness Items: <ul> <li> Torch with spare batteries or a self-charging torch</li> <li> Radio with spare batteries</li> <li> First aid kit and essential medicines</li> <li> Blankets or sleeping bags</li> <li> Pet supplies</li> <li> Wind and waterproof clothing and strong outdoor shoes</li> </ul> Food and water for at least three days <ul> <li> Non-perishable food (canned or dried food)</li> <li> Food, formula and drinks for babies and small children</li> <li> Water for drinking. At least 3 litres per person, per day</li> <li> A camp-cooker or gas barbeque to cook on</li> <li> A spare, full gas cylinder</li> <li> A can opener</li> <li> Water for washing and cooking</li> </ul> Suggested Winter Preparedness Items for Your Car: <ul> <li> Windshield scraper and brush</li> <li> Battery or self-charging torch</li> <li> Battery or self-charging radio</li> <li> Extra batteries</li> <li> Water</li> <li> Snack food</li> <li> First aid kit</li> <li> Jumper cables</li> <li> Hi-vis vest</li> <li> Tow chain or rope</li> <li> Cigarette lighter cell phone charger</li> <li> Wind and waterproof clothing and strong outdoor shoes</li> <li> Personal medications</li> <li> Blanket(s)</li> <li> A shovel</li> </ul>