Pa. Storm Update: 'Potentially Paralyzing' Event Expected

A storm that forecasters are calling ”potentially paralyzing” is less than 24 hours away.

Here is the very latest:

• A Blizzard Watch begins Friday evening in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The Blizzard Watch goes through Sunday morning.
• Gov. Wolf has declared a State of Emergency ahead of the storm. He is urging residents to be calm but prepared.
• As much as 18 inches of snow could fall in parts of the region. Here is the hour-by-hour estimates by county.
• Potential impacts include: significant travel restrictions and power outages.
• More than 50 million people are in the path of the storm, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

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Officials are advising residents to prepare now.

“This is not a time to panic or overreact,” says Richard D. Flinn Jr., director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. “We know this storm is coming, and every Pennsylvanian can take advantage of the time we have to make sure they and their families are ready with home and car emergency kits.”

Here is some information that might be useful to prepare and weather the storm:

POWER OUTAGES

To report an outage, contact PECO online here or via their emergency phone line: 1-800-841-4141. Track power outages around the region and find out when power will be restored in your neighborhood by clicking here.

PECO offers the following tips if you experience an outage:

• Turn off all appliances including your furnace, water heater and water pump.
• If the indoor temperature drops to 55 degrees Fahrenheit or below, open your faucets slightly so that they constantly drip to prevent pipes from freezing.
• During the day, open your blinds to allow sun to warm the space.
• At night, cover your windows with drapes or blankets to minimize heat loss.
• If you have a fireplace, never use gasoline or other flammable liquids to start or quicken a fire. Always keep a screen around an open flame, and don’t close the damper while ashes are still hot.
• Never use a gas range for room heating. This can be dangerous. Seek shelter at a warming center, friend or family if home temperatures fall too low.

Once the power is restored

• • Check the temperature inside the refrigerator and freezer. A full freezer should hold its temperature for 48 hours, or for 24 hours if it’s half full.
  • If an appliance thermometer was kept in the freezer, check the temperature when the power comes back on. If the freezer thermometer reads 40° F or below, the food is safe and may be refrozen. If a thermometer has not been kept in the freezer, check each package of food to determine its safety. You can’t rely on appearance or odor. If the food still contains ice crystals or is 40° F or below, it is safe to refreeze or cook.
  • Refrigerated food should be safe as long as the power was out for no more than four hours. Keep the door closed as much as possible.
  • Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs or leftovers) that has been above 40° F for two hours or more.

TRAVEL

• PennDOT is actively monitoring the storm. Roughtly 2,200 trucks, plows and salt spreaders are ready to treat roads.
• Visit www.511PA.com for travel information such as incidents, winter road conditions and to view traffic cameras.
• Track more than plows on interstates and expressways across Pennsylvania with the site’s new “Plow Trucks” option.
• Have a vehicle emergency kit packed. The kit should contain items such as non-perishable food, water, first-aid supplies, warm clothes, a blanket, cell phone charger and a small snow shovel.
• Know the rules for winter driving.
• Check that your car is ready for winter travel. Tire should be properly inflated. Clean snow and ice from your entire vehicle.
• Winter weather can lead to road closures, so have an alternate route in mind if needed.

FOOD AND SUPPLIES

Officials recommend households should be prepared to survive for up to three days at home without outside assistance.

Here are some suggested items to purchase ahead of the impending storm:

• Water
• Batteries
• First aid kit
• Peanut butter or similar nut spreads and preserves (jellies, jams)
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Dried fruits and nuts
• Juices (particularly those that are not commonly found in the refrigerator section of the supermarket).
• Breads, muffins, bagels, tortillas
• Dry cereal or granola
• Powdered or canned milk
• Protein bars and protein shakes
• A non-electric can opener
• Charcoal or propane for the grill
• Pet food
• Paper towels, paper plates, plastic utensils, and toilet paper

JUST FOR FUN: Read Upper Makefield Police’s Snow Storm Poem