Austin leaders, county officials asking residents to prepare for winter weather

Austin winter weather preparations

City of Austin and Travis County officials are asking residents to prepare now for winter weather that could be coming.

AUSTIN, Texas - City of Austin and Travis County officials are asking residents to prepare now for winter weather that could be coming.

Although the National Weather Service said it is probably going to be a warm Christmas, Austin usually experiences high impact storms in January and February.

Preparing for winter weather

What they're saying:

"Extreme winter weather can impact our community, and it can impact our community very suddenly," Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said.

Officials said now is the time to prepare.

"Make sure that you have an emergency plan. Having a plan is crucial to staying healthy, ensuring the comfort of your family, and responding quickly in case we do have an emergency or other disruption," Travis County Judge Andy Brown said.

"You should have a minimum of seven days of medication available to you and if you have supplemental oxygen that you're on, again, please keep extra oxygen tanks available to you as you go through the season," Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services Chief Robert Luckritz said.

Think of the four P’s: people, pets, plants, and pipes, and get to know your neighbors and look out for them, as well.

"There will be outages this winter. It is inevitable," Mayor Watson said.

Mayor Watson said they will try to get it back on as soon as possible.

"Dress in layers and recognize the need to stay in close quarters with your family. Try to confine yourself to one room, preferably in the center of the house. Keep your doors and windows closed. But also recognize that be very cautious in using alternative methods for heating your home," Luckritz said.

The Austin Fire Department warned of fire dangers during this time of year, having responded to more than 100 fires from December to February in the past five years.

"Make sure that that professional does take time to clean and inspect your chimney and vents. Clear the area around your central heating unit and make sure it's clean and that the filters are also clean. Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors," Austin Fire Assistant Chief Jeff Kennedy said. "Heaters should be at least three feet away from anything that can burn and should be switched off when unattended."

What you can do:

When the temperatures are forecasted to drop into the mid-30s, the cold weather shelters open. On Sunday, Dec. 14, 143 people used the shelters. Two families also came in, and they were put in a hotel.

To sign up for emergency notifications, go to warncentraltexs.org and download the ‘Ready Central Texas’ app on your phone.