Being prepared for winter weather

By KYLIE PORTZ
On March 4, 1909, a snow-storm in Washington D.C. prevented incumbent President Willian Howard Taft from taking the oath of office outside. Instead, the 27th president of the United States would take the oath indoors, becoming the first American President to do so since An-drew Jackson.

A few days later, further west, one of the heaviest snowfalls in Iowa history would be recorded in Humboldt County.

According to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information database, on March 7, 1909, a whopping 20 inches of snow was record-ed in Humboldt County.

The Humboldt Republican Newspaper reported on this event in the March 12, 1909 issue.

The headline read, “Gigantic Snow Fall Covers Old Iowa” accompanied by the subheads “Great fall of the ‘Beautiful’ in good old Iowa Monday and Tuesday” and “Prospects for the highest floods in years – Greatest snow fall in North-western Iowa in Twenty Years.”

The article read as follows, “Sunday the snow began to fall in this portion of Iowa, and all-day Monday and Tuesday it kept at it. It was what is known as a wet snow. Too. Literally a blanket of water, it covered the fields and buildings like a flood. Falling on human beings or stock it largely melted as it fell, but on the earth, it formed a mantle a foot in depth. The oldest citizen wagged his head knowing-ly, and all agreed that there would be some “floods” when this gigantic quantity of dampness began to move. If this snow goes off with a rain the prospects are that this portion of Iowa will know floods such as it has not experienced in years. Our readers at a distance should not believe from this that Iowa is experiencing an old-fashioned blizzard. The air is warm, and the temperature is above the freezing point.”

Iowans are no strangers to snow. According to the nation-al Weather Service, Iowa sees anywhere from 18-42 inches of snowfall annually across the state. It is important to have a plan in case severe winter weather strikes.

Ways to stay informed
In 2025, there are multiple ways to stay informed and aware of severe weather be-fore it strikes.

One way to stay in-formed in the event of severe weather is by tuning in to The National Weather Service website (https://www.weather.gov/dmx/) to monitor the radar and see if severe weather is expected in your area.

It is also helpful to monitor the road conditions using Iowa 511. The 511 websites can be viewed using any mobile de-vice at www.511.org. Or you can call the telephone service number 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide) for an interactive, voice activated traffic information system. You can also find the app in both the App Store and Google Play.

Humboldt County Emergency Management Association Director Kye Bissell recommends another service for staying informed.

“The first thing that I would want people to do is to down-load Alert Iowa. The National Weather Service, myself, will put on alerts for those weather events that are coming up.” Bissell said. “We’ll start making those weather events known several days in advance that this is coming.”

You can sign up for Alert Iowa online at alert.iowa.gov to receive weather updates directly from state and local authorities.

Bissell also recommended staying up-to-date with the Humboldt County Law Enforcement website. Where he will post information regarding severe weather statements from the National Weather Service.

He continued, “As it gets closer, make sure that you’re paying attention to The Humboldt Newspapers' website and paying attention to KHBT’s website for more up-to-date information about where the storm is at, and I’ll continue to broadcast these things, get this information is out.”

Before the storm
Apart from staying informed on winter weather conditions, Bissell recommends taking a few steps to ensure that your home is prepared before the winter season progresses.

He said, “In the early parts of winter, which we’re in now, we want to make sure people are starting to gather the things that they need to have in their home. Just in case they are stranded for a couple, two or three days.”

Bissell recommended that families have a home emergency kit equipped with necessities they might need in the event they are trapped inside during a storm. Some items he mentioned include blankets, food, water, medicine, and if you have medical equipment that requires electricity a generator to ensure you do not lose power.

It is also beneficial to have a winter emergency supply kit for your car, including things such as jumper cables, sand, a flashlight, warm clothes, blankets etc.

Home Winter Emergency Kit
According to the National Weather Service, the primary concerns for someone who is at home or work during a winter storm are loss of heat, power and telephone service and a shortage of supplies if the storm lasts more than a day. It recommends the following supplies be available in either place.
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- Battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio and portable radio to receive emergency information
- Extra food and water such as dried fruit, nuts, granola bars and other food requiring no cooking or refrigeration.
- Extra prescription medicine
- Baby items such as diapers and formula
- First-aid supplies
- Heating fuel: refuel before you are empty; fuel carriers may not reach you for days after a winter storm
- Emergency heat source: fireplace, wood stove or space heater properly ventilated to prevent a fire
- Fire extinguisher, smoke alarm; test smoke alarms monthly to ensure they work properly
- Extra pet food and warm shelter for pets
- Review generator safety: Never run a generator in an enclosed space
- Make sure your carbon monoxide detector is working correctly and that the outside vent is clear of leaves and debris. During or after the storm, make sure it is cleared of snow.
- Home fires are common each winter when trying to stay warm. Review ways to keep your home and loved ones safe.

Vehicle Winter Emergency Kit
The National Weather Service recommended having the following supplies prepared in your car in case of emergency.
- Mobile phone, charger, batteries
- Blankets/sleeping bags
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- First-aid kit
- Knife
- High-calorie, non-perishable food
- Extra clothing to keep dry
- Large empty can to use as emergency toilet, tissues, toi-let paper and paper towels
- Small can and waterproof matches to melt snow for drinking water
- Sack of sand or cat litter for traction
- Shovel
- Windshield scraper and brush
- Tool kit
- Tow rope
- Battery booster cables
- Water container
- Candle and matches to provide light and in an emergency, lifesaving heat.

The Emergency Management director also recommends that homeowners with propane tanks make sure they have a full tank before a winter storm arrives and that citizens check their furnaces to ensure they have heat.

Bissell also wanted to remind livestock owners to ensure their animals are taken care of in the event of a winter storm. Having extra food and water on hand, as well as providing a shelter for the animals to get out of the cold.

As the Emergency Management Association Director, Bissell will also be communicating with local and state authorities in the days leading up to a weather event to ensure people are taken care of.

Bissell said, “We will do all the prep work beforehand, knowing that the snow even is coming in. Those things don’t sneak up on us. I will start to make notifications to schools, to community leaders, to cities about this is what’s coming in, and this is what we’re expecting.”

“If we see temperatures are going to start to drop. Do you (the city) have a facility available for people who lose heat? How can we then get those people to your facility to get heat? We’ll start setting up those things with transportation. How do we get people from their homes to a warming shelter?”

“We will start making contacts with the vulnerable populations, those people who are homeless, we will try and reach out through UDMO. We’ll try and reach out through other means, the American Red Cross and Salvation Army. How do we make contact with these people, so they know where to go, in case they need to.”

“All of these things that we’re doing during the storm or slightly thereafter. I’m monitoring that storm 24 hours a day, either from here in the Emergency Operations Center or from my home and keeping tabs on where it’s going. When’s it going to happen? We’ll get briefings from the National Weather Service daily during those types of things. What to expect in the next hour, next two hours, so we’re really on top of things, making sure that we’re aware of it.”

With winter comes colder temperatures and the risk of frostbite and hyperthermia It is important to know the signs and treatment for these conditions for the winter season. You can find more information at www.cdc.gov/winter-weather/about/index.html.

During the storm
During the storm, it is important to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning by only using generators and grills outside and away from windows. It is also important to keep the chimney flue, which allows carbon monoxide fumes from furnaces to escape outside, clear of snow and ice to avoid an issue.

Bissell said, “A lot of people don’t think about that, but those can become plugged up with ice and snow, causing a problem, carbon monoxide poisoning. So, also making sure that you have a carbon monoxide detector in your home, just in case those types of things happen, you're alerted beforehand.”

While the storm is passing through your area, it is important to stay at home if possible. By limiting your time outside, you can avoid the risk of exposure to the freezing temperatures. If you must leave the house, ensure that you are dressed appropriately in warm layers of clothing and watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia.

If you are commuting for work or school, making sure that you have a plan in case the roads become unsafe to travel. It is important to stay off the roadways to allow snowplows and emergency services to get to the areas where they are needed.

Bissel said, “Absolutely stay off the roads if the plows are out there. Let them do their work. By clogging up the arteries, we’re making their life so much more difficult. They have a job to do. It's much easier to do if those roads are already cleared from traffic.”

After the storm
Being mindful of your surroundings is just as important after the storm passes.

Bissell explained, “Let’s say we’ve had that large snow-storm, and it’s coming in and your driveway is full of 12 to 14 inches of snow. Before you get out there and start shoveling, make sure that you’re able to take breaks and don’t overwork yourself.”

“As a retired paramedic, that was the time of year we saw so many heart attacks or slips, trips and falls were right after heavy snowstorms. And unfortunately, if the roads aren’t plowed, that ambulance could take much longer to get to you.”

He explained that it is important to take care of oneself, before leaving the house to begin the snow removal process. Making sure that you are hydrated, dressed appropriately and taking breaks while you shovel to avoid exhaustion is important. He recommended the use of safety tools like Yaktrax to get better traction on ice and using non-clumping cat litter or ice melt to help with breaking up ice on side-walks.

Bissell also stressed the importance of community during winter weather.

He said, “Another thing that I really stress with people is check your neighbors. Make sure your neighbors are okay. Just because you’re okay doesn’t necessarily mean Mrs. Smith down the street is okay. So, let’s check on her, check on your family, check on your friends.”