Preparing your home and property for cold weather conditions and responding to them effectively can reduce some of the effects caused by winter's weather challenges. Experts agree that the following measures can be effective in dealing with the effects of severe winter weather:

• Have your snow removal equipment serviced and ready for action
• Have rock salt on hand to melt ice on walkways
• Make sure your walls and attic are properly insulated
• Caulk and weather-strip doors and windows
• Install storm windows or cover windows with plastic from the inside
• Have safe portable space heaters available
• Wrap water pipes in insulation or layers of old newspapers to keep from freezing
• Let faucets drip a little to avoid freezing
• Know how to shut off water valves
• In case the power goes out, have disaster supplies on hand such as a flashlight & battery-operated radio (and extra batteries), a first aid kit and extra blankets & sleeping bags
• Develop an emergency communication plan in case family members are separated from one another during a winter storm
• Teach children how and when to call 911, police, or fire department, and which radio station to tune to for emergency information