{"id":27859,"date":"2024-12-09T12:16:29","date_gmt":"2024-12-09T17:16:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mdem\/?p=27859"},"modified":"2024-12-09T12:16:29","modified_gmt":"2024-12-09T17:16:29","slug":"7th-annual-maryland-winter-safety-week-december-9-15-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mdem\/2024\/12\/09\/7th-annual-maryland-winter-safety-week-december-9-15-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"7th Annual Maryland Winter Safety Week: December 9\u201315, 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>HANOVER, MD (December 6, 2024)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u2014 As Maryland gears up for another winter season, the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) is proud to announce the launch of the <\/span><b>7th Annual Maryland Winter Safety Week<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, running from <\/span><b>December 9\u201315, 2024<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. This year\u2019s initiative highlights the theme <\/span><b>\u201cResilience Starts at Home,\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> encouraging residents to take proactive steps to protect themselves, their families, and their communities from winter hazards.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Winter Safety Week 2024 with Governor Wes Moore\" width=\"980\" height=\"551\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0V2j3UUhm30?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Winter weather can present serious risks, from icy roads and power outages to extreme cold and fires caused by improper heating. Every year, winter hazards lead to preventable injuries, financial losses, and even fatalities. Winter Safety Week is about equipping Marylanders with the knowledge and tools to navigate the season safely and confidently. By working together and focusing on preparedness, we can build a Maryland that\u2019s ready to weather the season safely.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Focused on Winter Hazards<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Throughout Winter Safety Week, MDEM will collaborate with federal, state, and local partners, including the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.weather.gov\/lwx\/2024MDWinter\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">National Weather Service<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> (NWS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to provide Marylanders with critical safety tips and resources. The campaign covers:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Health Risks from Cold Weather <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Prolonged exposure to extreme cold can lower body temperature, weaken the immune system, and exacerbate chronic conditions like asthma or arthritis.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Indoor Heating Safety<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Carbon monoxide poisoning remains a significant threat as residents turn to alternative heating sources during power outages.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Community Support<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Residents are encouraged to check on vulnerable neighbors, including seniors and those with access and functional needs.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Be Winter-Ready with MdReady<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A highlight of this year\u2019s campaign is the <\/span><b>MdReady system<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a cutting-edge platform designed to keep Marylanders informed before, during, and after emergencies. MdReady text alert program offers alerts in <\/span><b>185 languages<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, ensuring accessibility for Maryland\u2019s diverse population. To sign up, text <\/span><b>MdReady to 211-631<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> or visit <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/md.gov\/alerts\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">md.gov\/alerts<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and customize your preferences to receive relevant notifications for your area.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Practical Winter Safety Tips<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">MDEM recommends the following steps to prepare for the winter season:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Stay Informed<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Have multiple ways to receive alerts, including MdReady and trusted weather sources like the NWS.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Keep a <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ready.gov\/car\"><b>car emergency kit<\/b><\/a><b> in your vehicle<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, including winter supplies and essentials. Having a car emergency kit can be the difference between surviving being stranded in a severe winter storm or blizzard and getting frostbite, or worse, dying.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Winterize Your Vehicle<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Check tires, battery, and emergency supplies like a scraper, first-aid kit, and jumper cables.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Keep your gas tank near full <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">to avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines. The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration offers these <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.roads.maryland.gov\/mdotsha\/pages\/Index.aspx?PageId=242\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">tips for safe winter driving<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Ensure Home Safety<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Insulate pipes, test smoke detectors, and avoid using stoves or unventilated generators as heat sources.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><b>Join the Conversation<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">MDEM will be sharing tips, trivia, and expert advice daily through its social media channels using the hashtags <\/span><b>#MdReady<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and <\/span><b>#WinterSafetyWeek2024<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Residents are encouraged to participate, ask questions, and share how they\u2019re preparing for winter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For more tips and updates, visit <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/mdready.maryland.gov\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">MdReady.maryland.gov<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and follow MDEM on <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/MDMEMA\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">X (Twitter)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MDMEMA\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/maryland-emergency-management-agency\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">LinkedIn,<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/StateMarylandMEMA\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">YouTube<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As we move into the coldest months of the year, preparedness is not just a recommendation\u2014it\u2019s a shared responsibility. Let\u2019s work together to make Maryland a safer, more resilient state this winter. <\/span><b>Stay safe, stay informed, and stay MdReady!<\/b><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>HANOVER, MD (December 6, 2024) \u2014 As Maryland gears up for another winter season, the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) is proud to announce the launch of the 7th Annual Maryland Winter Safety Week, running from December 9\u201315, 2024. This year\u2019s initiative highlights the theme \u201cResilience Starts at Home,\u201d encouraging residents to take proactive<a href=\"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mdem\/2024\/12\/09\/7th-annual-maryland-winter-safety-week-december-9-15-2024\/\">&nbsp;&nbsp;Read the Rest&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":181,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27859","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-events-2","category-mdem-in-the-news"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mdem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27859","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mdem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mdem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mdem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/181"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mdem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27859"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mdem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27859\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27861,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mdem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27859\/revisions\/27861"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mdem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27859"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mdem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27859"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mdem\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27859"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}