Patch's Winter Weather Emergency Kit

With a blizzard warning in effect for Northborough until Wednesday morning, many are hunkering down for a couple days cooped up at home with Netflix and an endless supply of hot chocolate. But others will have to brave the blizzard for work that simply can’t be cancelled, to check on loved ones or for some other reason. And with any storm, there’s a chance the power will go out and take your Netflix plans along with it.

So Patch has compiled a list of the phone numbers, safety tips and snow day advice you’ll need in case of a winter weather emergency.

Important Phone Numbers:

Northborough Fire Department: 508-393-1537

Northborough Police Department: 508-393-1515

Electric (National Grid): 800-322-3223

** Power Outages and Emergencies: 800-465-1212

Emergency: 911

Hearing Impaired Emergency: 7-1-1

Health Department: 508-393-5009

Important Information:

Northborough residents can look through The Northborough Emergency Preparedness Handbook for advice, contact information, utility information and other emergency resources from town officials.

• Are there any important phone numbers or winter weather tips we missed? Let us know in the comments.

The United States Department of Agriculture offers food safety tips in case of a power outage, including how to create a makeshift ice box and, surprisingly, to avoid putting your perishables in the snow. Read all the tips here.

For those of you who absolutely must drive, police provide tips for the safest winter driving possible, though the only way to ensure your safety is to avoid travelling. Learn safe winter driving tips here.

But a blizzard threatens more than just your ability to drive safely, it also impacts your home. The Red Cross has some advice on how to keep your home properly heated and lit in case of a power outage. Red Cross also offers tips to thaw frozen pipes.

And for any parents who aren’t necessarily feeling unsafe at home during the storm, but who are being driven up the walls by kids home from school and bored out of their minds, read this doctor’s advice on dealing with snow day stress or take a few suggestions from this list of snow day dos and don’ts.

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