This week is Winter Weather Preparedness Week, designated by the National Weather Service and the State Emergency Management Agency.
The two organizations want everyone to plan ahead for the upcoming winter, which could bring snow and ice. Last year, there were 11,117 vehicle crashes in the state in which snow or ice was a factor, according to SEMA. Those resulted in 3,000 injuries and 58 deaths.
Both SEMA and NWS advise creating a family emergency plan and an emergency kit for your home containing bottled water, nonperishable food, a battery-powered radio, extra batteries, flashlights, a manual can opener and more.
Have a vehicle emergency kit ready with a blanket, radio with spare batteries, snacks, masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, jumper cables, flares, shovel and sand or shingles to give tires traction.
And make sure alternate heat and power sources, such as fireplaces, woodstoves, kerosene heaters and generators are working properly.
Find more winter weather information including safe winter driving techniques, avoiding injury when shoveling and other tips at mo.gov/winter-weather-safety.
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