As Wichita is hit with extreme cold, here’s what to do if you lose power
As Wichita braces for the extreme cold to move in this weekend — complete with negative wind chills and 6 to 10 inches of snow — Wichitans are preparing for spending a weekend inside.
The National Weather Service’s forecast shows snow beginning around Friday evening and lasting through Sunday.
Sedgwick County emergency management has encouraged residents to stay inside and avoid travel as much as possible due to possible hazardous road conditions. But thankfully, due to the kind of snow, it is not expected to stick on power lines, which can lead to power outages.
“It’s going to be a dry, powdery snow, so we’re not expecting it to stick to power lines, or trees, or anything that significant,” Julie Stimson, Sedgwick County’s director of emergency management, said in a Thursday afternoon press conference.
Stimson said utility companies have their own system when getting ready for cold weather events.
“Our utility companies prepare for [cold weather], they bring in additional staff and they’ve done a lot of risk mitigation with the power grid, that if we do have [outages], they’ll be able to communicate ahead of time and they also have ways to … reroute energy,” Stimson said.
It’s still best to prepare ahead of a winter storm if you find yourself without power. We gathered some tips for you to keep in mind.
How to prepare for possible power outages
The American Red Cross recommends gathering food, water and medicine ahead of a winter storm, as well as setting aside back up batteries. You should also have a stock of warm clothing — like hats, coats and mittens — and blankets in case you find yourself without heat.
You should also be sure your phones are charged ahead of time and that you have flashlights with fresh batteries available.
You can track power outages at Evergy’s power outage map; you can also report a power outage on Evergy’s website.
To prevent pipes from freezing, drip your faucets for 5 to 10 minutes at a time. You can also keep cabinets open to allow for warmer air to reach your pipes.
If think your pipes may be frozen, you can try to melt them by using an electric hairdryer, a space heater or by wrapping hot wet towels around the frozen pipes. Still, it’s best to keep water bottles in your home in case you find yourself without water.
If you do have to travel during the storm, you should keep an emergency tool kit in your car if you find yourself stranded. That kit should include, according to Stimson:
- Flashlight
- Jumper cables
- Shovel
- Ice scraper
- Blanket or sleeping bag
- Water
- Nonperishable food items
- Cat litter to help with traction if your vehicle gets stuck
- Phone charger
You should also drive slowly and be extra aware of your surroundings, as the blowing snow can lead to limited visibility.
“We do know we’re going to get cold, we do know we’re going to get snow,” Stimson said.
