Wing safety office offers “winter tips”

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Joe Klimaski
  • 445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

I know what you’re thinking… Winter???  It’s still 80 degrees, BBQ season is on-going, and winter’s a couple of months away.  While this is true, we all know that winter comes quickly in the great state of O-H-I-O, and the weather can be rapidly unpredictable.  Needless to say, winter will be here before we know it, and presumably some crazy weather will be headed our way in the very near future.

Consequently, with winter comes additional hazards and risks, therefore it’s never too early to in the game to start planning and preparing. 

Taking a few precautionary steps will go a long way in preparing you and your family for the unpredictability of the winter months.  Particularly, taking a little extra time to winterize your vehicle and home is a good starting point. 

For your vehicle, it’s recommended to have a preventative maintenance inspection accomplished by a qualified technician prior to the arrival of winter; checking the battery, tire tread depth, vehicle fluids, etc., is essential in ensuring your vehicle stays operable during the cold weather months. 

Also, keeping necessary survival items in your vehicle (in the event of a breakdown) such as water, storable food, blankets, flashlights, and some kind of heat producing element is always a good idea.  You never know when an unexpected breakdown could occur. 

Similar to your vehicle, your home should also be winterized in the event of power outages and any unforeseen circumstances that may arise. 

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) preventative maintenance costs less than $100, and could ultimately be the deciding factor in whether your HVAC unit makes it through a long, grueling Ohio winter. 

Recalling back to last winter, the power in Kettering and Sugarcreek Township went out on two separate occasions due to heavy snowfall and ice accumulation.  Luckily for us, we kept a generator and propane gas grill fully fueled, extra water and storable foods on hand, candles, flash lights, batteries, etc. While the power outage lasted less than 24 hours in total, we would have been completely self-sustainable for an extended period of time due to some basic planning and preparation ahead of time.

Collectively, taking a very small amount of time to strategize for the winter months can pay big dividends in the end should Mother Nature decide to unexpectedly rear her ugly head (again). 

Keep in mind, sound risk management takes little to no effort, and is an easy first step in keeping you and your family safe when winter arrives. While we still have a few months left of sunshine and Buckeye football, take the time to get ahead now, because, winter is coming.