DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — November 17-23 is Winter Safety Awareness Week, and it comes at the perfect time to prepare for the winter season, as snow is expected on Thursday.

When bad weather hits and roads become slippery, it’s important to check the forecast in advance. When heavy snowfalls arrive, you need to be ready to stock up before any winter storm.

Tuesday, unusually mild weather for the season, but winter is fast approaching.

“Keep like your fuel tank, like three-quarters of a tank or more,” said Mercer County EMA Director Chad Willrath. “That way, if you get stuck somewhere, you can leave the car running. Stay warm, that sort of thing, get off the road, you know, you have a way to keep the heat in the car.

It is very important to ensure that you have emergency kits in every vehicle you own in case you become stranded on the roads.

“Have blankets in your car, you know, warm clothes, that way if you have trouble or a breakdown, a car stops or whatever, you have a way to stay warm,” Willrath said.

In the United States, more than 400 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning each year. In the event of a power outage, never shelter in your car in the garage. If you have a generator, do not use it inside your home.

“You know, generators need to be kept outside at least 20 feet away from windows, doors and attached garages because you don’t want the fumes coming from them coming into your house. You know, make sure to have working carbon monoxide detectors in your home as well,” said Sandy Mackey, Ohio EMA public affairs chief.

If you have medical needs, check in before a storm to see if you can get additional supplies if roads become impassable and have enough food to last 3 days.

You can check the forecast in advance using the free Storm Team 2 weather app. Click here to download the application.

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