As winter approaches and the possibility of freezing temperatures increases, the City of Plano offers these helpful hints on these topics for home and pet safety.

 

 

Prevent Fires and Keep Warm Prepare Your Pets Avoid Frozen, Bursting Pipes Protect Your Landscape Irrigation System Plan for Severe Ice Storms and Extreme Weather Respond to Power Outages Additional Information

Prevent Fires and Keep Warm

 Chimneys and Fireplaces:

· Clean and maintain chimneys fireplaces and furnaces on a regular basis. Most fires in wood stoves, fireplaces and chimneys occur because of a lack of regular cleaning, leading to the buildup of creosote (the residue of unburned fuel).

· Keep sparks and embers inside the fireplace with fire screens made of heat-tempered glass or sturdy metal.

· Burn dry, well-seasoned hard wood because it’s the most efficient fuel.

· Let ashes and ambers cool completely before emptying from the fireplace.  Place them into a metal can with a lid and place the can outside away from the home or fence.

Supplemental Heating Devices:

· Use and maintain supplemental heating devices in accordance with manufacturer recommendations.

· Do not leave heating devices unattended or turned on while you are sleeping.

· Provide all heating devices with at least 3 feet of clear space, away from beds, drapes, furniture and other combustible materials.

· Examine gas lines for punctures or splits. Check the connectors and valves for leaks.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarms:

• If you don’t have smoke alarms, install them. If you do, maintain them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

· Install carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in your home to provide you with an early warning if CO is accumulating. Heating equipment that burns fuel is a potential source of CO, an odorless, colorless, poisonous gas created when fuel burns incompletely.

· Test smoke and CO alarms monthly to be sure they are working properly. Change the batteries in all alarms once a year or when they begin to chirp.

General Fire-Prevention and Safety Practices:

• Plan and practice a family escape plan which includes a meeting place. Once you exit your home, DO NOT return. Too many people lose their lives going back into a burning home.
• If you use candles, make sure you use them in a safe environment in a fireproof container and away from children. Do not leave them unattended. If possible, consider using flameless, battery-operated candles.
• Consider having a residential fire sprinkler installed. Statistically the risk of death by fire is reduced by 82 percent when smoke detectors are accompanied with residential fire sprinklers.

Prepare Your Pets

Don’t leave dogs outdoors when the temperature drops.  Most dogs and all cats are safer indoors except when taken out for exercise.  Shorthaired, very young or old dogs and ALL cats should never be left outside without supervision.

No matter the temperature, wind chill can threaten a pet’s life. If you have an outdoor dog, they must be protected by a dry, draft-free dog house.  It must be large enough for the dog to sit or lie down, comfortably, but small enough to hold in their body heat.  The floor should be raised a few inches off the ground and covered with cedar shavings or straw.  The house should be turned to face away from the wind, and the doorway should be covered with waterproof burlap or heavy plastic.

Pets that spend a lot of time outdoors need more food in the winter because keeping warm depletes energy.  Routinely check your pet’s water dish to make certain the water is fresh and unfrozen.  Use plastic food and water bowls rather than metal to prevent your pet’s tongue from sticking and freezing to the metal.

 Warm engines in parked cars attract cats and small wildlife that may crawl up under the hood. To avoid injuring any hidden animals, bang on your car’s hood to scare them away before starting your engine.

The salt and other chemicals used to melt snow and ice can irritate the pads of your pet’s feet. Wipe the feet with a damp towel before your pet licks them and irritates
their mouth.

Antifreeze is a deadly poison. Wipe up spills and store antifreeze and all household chemicals out of reach.

Probably the BEST plan for protecting your pet during the winter is to keep them inside with you.  The happiest dogs are those taken out frequently for walks and exercise but kept inside the rest of the time.  Dogs and cats are social animal who crave human companionship. 

Avoid Frozen, Bursting Pipes

Shut off the outside water valve, disconnect water hoses and drain water from pipes, via an open faucet.

Allow a trickle of hot and cold water to drip. The cost of the wasted water is small compared to the damage from frozen pipes. Be certain you are not running water into a drain line that is exposed to extreme cold as that line might freeze as well.

Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors under sinks to allow heat from the room to circulate around un-insulated pipes.

Heat unused rooms with plumbing, especially if the plumbing is in a north wall.

Insulate all pipes in areas where there is no heat, such as the garage or crawl space. Apply heat tape or thermostat-controlled heat cables around pipes exposed to the weather and prone to freeze. A variety of insulating and heating devices installed on both inside and outside plumbing can be purchased locally through a plumbing supplier.  

Seal any air leaks around doors and windows to reduce cold air penetration.

In the event of an emergency, water can be shut off to prevent further damage and to allow necessary repairs.  If assistance is needed, contact the City of Plano Customer and Utility Services Department at (972) 941-7105, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or for after hours at (972) 727-1623.

Protect Your Landscape Irrigation System

Freezing, irrigation overspray on public streets and sidewalks causes dangerous driving conditions which threaten public safety.  In Plano, icing of streets and sidewalks is punishable by a fine up to $1,000 per day.

· Turn off sprinkler systems. Drought tolerant plants only need water once a month.

·Install a rain/freeze sensor. It temporarily overrides programmable systems during rain or freezing temperatures.

Plan for Severe Ice Storms and Extreme Weather

Prepare a 72-hour emergency kit for the winter storm event.

· Make sure to have a 3-day supply of food, water and medicine for each person (include baby formula and pet food) in your house. Food should be nonperishable and easily prepared without electricity.

· Have extra blankets and first aid kit.

· Keep flashlights, a battery-operated or hand-crank radio, a NOAA All-Hazards Radio and plenty of extra batteries on hand. Test and change out batteries every 6 months.

· If you still have a landline phone, keep a simple (not cordless) phone to plug directly into a jack during power failures.

· Store some extra cash in your kit.  Automated teller machines (ATMs) may not work during a power outage.

· Keep at least a half tank of fuel in your vehicles at all times. Gas stations rely on electricity to power pumps.

· Make a family emergency plan with details on how to contact each other and where to meet if separated.

Stay tuned in to local media for hazard conditions, school and business closings and recovery information.  Do not call 9-1-1 unless you need the response of police, fire or medical.

 Wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing.  Remove layers as needed to avoid overheating, perspiration and subsequent chill.

Have an emergency heat source available, such as a fireplace, space heater or wood burning stove.  (See Prevent Fires and Keep Warm above)

Winterize your home by insulating walls and attics, caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic.

Clear rain gutters, repair roof leaks, and cut away tree branches that could fall on your house or vehicle if they became over-weighted by snow or ice.

 Perform a checkup on your vehicle to make sure that all systems are working properly and all fluids are topped off.  Maintain at least a half tank of gas during the winter season.

Keep a winter emergency kit in each vehicle.

Avoid travel unless it is absolutely necessary.  If you must travel, use extra caution when driving.  Maintain lower speeds and keep plenty of distance between yourself and the next vehicle.  Use extreme caution on bridges, overpasses and elevated highways where ice forms rapidly.

Keep in mind, the roads may still be icy even though you may not see the accumulation of ice or snow.  Even 4-wheel drive vehicles will have difficulty driving on icy roads.

Secure trash and recycling carts and lawn furnishings when high winds are expected. 

Respond to Power Outages

Back up computer files and operating systems.  Consider buying extra batteries and a power converter if you use a laptop computer.

Turn off electronic devices when not in use. Buy a high-quality surge protector for your electronic equipment.

Let your electric provider know if someone in your home has special medical needs dependent on electricity. Always have a backup plan for events of prolonged outage.  If the situation becomes a medical emergency, call 9-1-1.

Know the location of the fuse box or circuit breaker in your home and learn how to reset the circuit or change a blown fuse, if necessary.

Learn how to use the manual release lever on your electric garage door opener.

Consider purchasing a backup generator for your home for periods when the electricity may be out for an extended time.  Educate yourself on the type and size generator your home requires.  Carefully follow the instructions in the generator’s user manual.  Have only a qualified electrician install the generator and transfer switches to your home electrical system.  An improperly installed generator can be extremely dangerous to your family and to service technicians trying to restore power to your area.

Keep your energy provider’s emergency contact number programmed in your phone and written down in an accessible place.  This number can typically be found on their website and on your monthly bill.

If you come upon a down power line, do not touch it or attempt to move it. Energized power lines are very misleading and typically do not spark or make noise.  Do the safe thing and call 9-1-1, so no one else is at risk of making a fatal mistake. 

During the Outage

Report the outage to your energy provider using their emergency number.

Listen to your battery-powered or hand-crank radio for information relating to the outage or the hazard event.

Turn on your battery-powered NOAA All-Hazards Radio to stay informed of any impending hazards.

Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature.  The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened.  A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed.

If you choose to prepare your food with a camping stove or a gas or charcoal grill, only use it outside and be cautious of fire and gas hazards.

If you choose to use a generator for power, DO NOT run it in the house or garage.  Only operate it outdoors in an open area, away from windows and away from any of your home’s ventilation sources.  Exhaust produced by the generator is deadly.

· Make sure the main circuit breaker in the electric service panel box is in the OFF position, or in older electric service panel boxes, that the main fuse block is removed.  This is necessary to prevent the generator’s electricity from running back into the power lines and potentially endangering the lives of service technicians trying to restore power to your area.

· Be cautious of any cords you plug into the generator for power.  Cords must be properly sized to prevent overheating or damage to your appliances.

·Carefully follow all instructions in your user manual when operating the generator.

If you lose power during the summer, follow the tips on our Extreme Heat hazard page.

If you lose power during the winter, follow the tips our Severe Winter / Ice Storms page.

Stay away from downed power lines.  Call your energy provider’s emergency number to report the downed lines, or call 9-1-1.

Do not touch an object that is in contact with power lines, including tree limbs.  Remember tree limbs can conduct electricity.

If you are involved in a vehicle accident and a power line falls across your vehicle, stay inside until help arrives.  Your tires provide important insulation from the ground.

If you are able to connect to the Internet, there are several sources to track power outages and the progress to restore power.  Oncor, the primary electric provider in Plano, provides maps of the region that detail widespread power issues.  To view them, visit Oncor’s website: www.oncor.com/community/outages/

Depending on the severity and widespread area of the outage, it may take several hours to a few days to restore your power.  Be prepared for such events and know that utility crews are working on the issue.

After Power is Restored

Determine if your food is safe for use.

· 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 cannot 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 4 hours and the refrigerator door was kept shut. Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs or leftovers) that has been above 40°F for two hours or more.  

Reduce Outage Risk

Trees are one of the primary causes of electric outages.  When branches grow into power lines, they can easily break or pull down lines during a high wind event or ice storm.  Keep trees away from power lines.

·  Practice smart planting and landscaping. Do not plant tall trees beneath power lines.

·  Keep trees pruned away from power lines.

· If trees are growing too close to power lines (within 10 feet), do not try to prune them yourself.  Contact your electric provider to schedule an inspection.

Additional Information

During winter months, some Plano park restrooms and drinking fountains are closed for the season to protect pipes from freezing.

Instructions for collection of storm debris will be provided within a few days after the storm has passed and streets are deemed safe to travel.