Driving Safety
(Pikesville, MD) – Maryland State Police are urging drivers to use caution and to think twice before heading out during the expected blast of cold weather from ‘old man winter’.
Colonel Marcus L. Brown, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police has directed all personnel to be on high alert for disabled vehicles with the anticipated record low temperatures. Troopers will be working with the State Highway Administration’s, Coordinated Highway Action Response Team, to assist disabled motorists as quickly as possible.
With cold weather advisories across the state and weather forecasters predicting bone chilling temperatures, state troopers are encouraging motorists to make sure they and their vehicles are prepared and properly equipped. Motorists ought to keep a survival bag in their car which should include a blanket, a flashlight (with batteries) or flares, jumper cables, and an extra bottle of antifreeze and windshield washer fluid.
The cold weather can wreck havoc on a vehicle, so check the following before traveling:
o Check the tire pressure and tread
o Check the battery
o Check the car fluid levels
o Make sure you have a good spare tire
Drivers are reminded their cell phones can be used to call 9-1-1 in emergencies or #77. Additional personnel have been reassigned to assist with road patrol duties to supplement regular patrol forces across the state.
Fire Safety
STATEWIDE (January 6, 2014) – As the temperatures drop to extreme lows, we depend on multiple types of heating sources to stay warm inside our homes. State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci is providing Marylanders life and home saving heating safety tips. “Elements of heating resources continue to be a significant factor in home fires in Maryland,” according to the Fire Marshal. “Following these guidelines, we can work together to reduce the number of residential fires.”
• Ensure chimneys are cleaned annually or more frequently if used as the primary heating equipment.
• Use properly sized fireplace screens or enclosures. Never use a flammable liquid to start a fire.
• When disposing of cooled ashes, do not use paper or plastic containers to remove them, instead use a metal container. Ashes will insulate hot embers long after the fire is considered out.
• Make sure fuel burning stoves are installed according to local fire codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
• Have your furnace inspected and serviced annually.
• Check portable electric heaters for frayed/damaged wires and ensure they are clean and placed on a flat level surface. Use only “listed” appliances by an approved testing laboratory and follow manufacturer’s instructions.
• Do not use extension cords with portable space heaters. The extension cord can overheat and cause a fire.
• If you use kerosene fuel fired heaters, use only “K-1” kerosene fuel. Never fill the unit inside, remove it to the exterior after it has cooled before refueling. Note: Portable kerosene heaters are banned for use in Baltimore City.
• Open a window enough to provide proper ventilation.
• Keep combustibles (furniture, curtains, clothing, paper goods, etc.), at least (3) three feet from all heat sources.
• Fuel burning appliances can produce the deadly, tasteless and odorless gas known as carbon monoxide. Install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms inside your home to provide an early warning of carbon monoxide levels.
• Always turn off portable heating equipment when leaving the room for extended periods. Portable heaters should never be operated unattended.
Along with these heating tips, check to make sure your smoke alarms are in good working order. “Routine maintenance and safe operation of heating equipment, combined with properly installed and operating smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, are a life-saving combination for all Marylanders,” stated Geraci.
To Report An Outage:
SMECO: 1-877-SMECO (1-877-747-6326)
Baltimore Gas and Electric: 1-877-778-2222
Pepco: 24-Hour Outage Report Line - 1-877-PEPCO-62 (1-877-737-2662)
Northern Neck Electric Cooperative: 1-866-663-2688 (1-866-NNEC-OUT)
Warming Centers Available to the Public
Calvert County:
The county’s community centers will be open during regular hours and safe drinking water is available in each of them. Residents who need to take refuge in a warm place can go to one of the following locations:
Project ECHO will be available as an emergency overnight warming center. Project ECHO is located at 484 Main Street in Prince Frederick. Residents can call ahead at 410-535-0044 or drop in tonight.
The county’s community centers will be open during regular hours and safe drinking water is available in each of them. Residents who need to take refuge in a warm place can go to one of the following locations:
Northeast Community Center
4075 Gordon Stinnett Ave., Chesapeake Beach (410-257-2554)
Open Sunday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m., and Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-11 p.m.
Mount Hope Community Center
104 Pushaw Station Road, Sunderland (410-257-6770)
Open Monday-Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m., and Sunday, noon-6 p.m.
Southern Community Center
20 Appeal Lane, Lusby (410-586-1101)
Open Monday-Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; closed Sunday
Edward T. Hall Aquatic Center
130 Auto Drive, Prince Frederick (410-414-8350)
Open Monday-Friday, 6 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
Charles County:
The public buildings listed below are open during regular business hours for use by residents as warming centers during the cold weather from Monday, Jan. 6 through Wednesday, Jan. 8:
Capital Clubhouse, 3033 Waldorf Market Place, Waldorf
Open 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Department of Community Services, 8190 Port Tobacco Road, Port Tobacco
Open 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Port Tobacco Community Center, 8190 Port Tobacco Road, Port Tobacco
Open 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Nanjemoy Community Center, 4375 Port Tobacco Road, Nanjemoy
Open 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Charles County Public Library, All Branches
La Plata Branch, 2 Garrett Ave., La Plata
P.D. Brown Memorial Branch, 50 Village St., Waldorf
Potomac Branch, 3225 Ruth B. Swan Drive, Indian Head
Waldorf West, 10405 O'Donnell Place, Waldorf
All branches open 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Richard R. Clark Senior Center, 1210 Charles St., La Plata
Open 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
St. Mary's County:
The following locations are being made available as Warming Centers.
The centers will be open during regular hours for residents who need to take refuge in a warm place at one of the following locations:
Garvey Senior Activity Center
41780 Baldridge Street
Leonardtown
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Loffler Senior Activity Center
21905 Chancellor’s Run Road
Great Mills
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Northern Senior Activity Center
29655 Charlotte Hall Road
Charlotte Hall
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Charlotte Hall Library
37600 New Market Road
Charlotte Hall
9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Leonardtown Library
23250 Hollywood Road
Leonardtown
9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Lexington Park Library
21677 FDR Blvd.
Lexington Park
9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Cold Weather Safety
Residents are advised to take the following precautions during cold weather, if indoors:
· Stay indoors and dress warmly.
· Conserve fuel.
· Lower the thermostat to 65 degrees during the day and 55 degrees at night. Close off unused rooms.
· If the pipes freeze, remove any insulation or layers of newspapers and wrap pipes in rags.
· Completely open all faucets and pour hot water over the pipes, starting where they were most exposed to the cold (or where the cold was most likely to penetrate).
· Use caution when using supplemental heating units. Make sure that all-combustible materials such as drapes or chairs are at least three feet away from any heating unit. Avoid using flammable liquids to start fireplaces and do not leave a fireplace unattended. Most importantly, check your smoke detector to make sure it is working properly.
· Listen to the radio or television to get the latest weather updates and information.
If outdoors:
· Dress warmly.
· Wear loose-fitting, layered, lightweight clothing. Layers can be removed to prevent perspiration and chill. Outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent. Mittens are warmer than gloves because fingers generate warmth when they touch each other.
· Keep dry.
· Change wet clothing frequently to prevent a loss of body heat. Wet clothing loses all of its insulating value and transmits heat rapidly.
