Emergency Preparedness

SOUTHSIDE PLACE WEATHER
winter weather preparedness
science of wind chill

Freeze Warning - Protective Actions


When cold weather occurs, Houstonians should remember to protect the Four 'P's:
People, Pets, Pipes, and Plants.

People
  • Dress in warm, layered clothing, including gloves, a coat, and a hat when you are outside.
  • Never leave children or the elderly in vehicles during cold weather, as they can act as refrigerators and expose anyone inside to sub-freezing temperatures.
  • Never use a generator, grill, camp-stove, or any gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal-burning device to heat your home (or any enclosed area.) These devices can generate carbon monoxide, which cannot be seen or smelled, but is deadly.
Pets
  • Protect your pets by ensuring that they have a warm, safe place to sleep. The best place for a pet to sleep is in a heated environment.
  • Do not shave your dog down to the skin in winter. A longer coat provides more warmth.
  • Never leave your animal in a car during cold weather. Cars can act as refrigerators in the winter, holding in the cold and causing animals to freeze to death.
  • For more cold-weather tips for pets, visit the ASPA's 'Cold Weather Safety Tips' webpage.
Pipes
  • During cold weather, pipes may freeze and rupture, causing water leaks and damage to your home. Protect your home by opening the cabinets under kitchen and bathroom sinks to allow air from your home's heater to warm the pipes under the sink. Let faucets drip, as moving water freezes more slowly than still water.
  • Insulate outdoor faucets and pipes with insulation or newspaper, and be sure to disconnect and drain hoses from outdoor spigots.
  • Shut off and drain your irrigation system now. Not sure how to shut off your irrigation system? Click here to view a video.
Plants
  • Protect plants from freezing by covering them with plant-covering fabric, or a light blanket with plastic sheeting on top of it.
  • Bring in potted plants or group them together, near the edge of a building. Remember that soil in containers can get just as cold as the air temperature, and cause the roots to freeze, even if the above-surface leafs survive.

Heater Safety:

Prortable space heaters are often used to heat rooms and homes. If not used properly, they can cause fires, severe injuries, and death. If using a portable heater, remember these important safety tips:


  • Keep heaters at least 3 feet from anything that can burn including furniture, carpets, curtains, and people.
  • Place heaters on solid, non-flammable surfaces.
  • Never block exits with a heater and keep them out of the way of foot traffic.
  • Keep children away from heaters.
  • Always plug heaters directly into wall outlets - NEVER use an extension cord.
  • Turn off and unplug space heaters when leaving a room or going to bed.
Protect yourself from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning by installing a battery-operated CO detector and never use generators, grills, camp stoves, or similar devices indoors.

Where you can learn more:

Notice to Customer Regarding Extreme Weather Emergency
  1. Greater Harris County 911
  2. Texas 211
  3. TDEM
  4. HCOHSEM

Greater Harris County 9-1-1

For 30 years GHC 9-1-1 has made it its mission to ensure that anyone, at anytime, in any place, using any device shall be able to reach emergency services. This year they are rolling out the new Emergency Notification System (ENS.) This is a voluntary alert system that will notify residents of events that could threaten lives, property, or could be dangerous. Previously, only landlines were eligible to receive notifications, but with the new ENS cell and Internet phones can now be contacted. For more information or to register, click on the link below to visit the GHC 9-1-1 home page.