Keep your Community Winterized All Season Long

We can always count on old man winter to bring the snow and the cold. Because many of us have already been through storms this winter, it’s smart to make sure our communities are staying properly prepared and safe from the hazards of winter. Here are a few ways you can keep your homeowners safe all season long.
 
Advocate for Personal Emergency Kits
 
In the case of a winter weather emergency, are your homeowners prepared? Encourage them to prepare their personal preparedness kits containing first-aid materials, flashlights, a manual can opener, sanitizing wipes, and enough food and water for at least three days.
 
A generator can also keep the power going in case of long outages. A standby generator, such as the Champion standby generator, will automatically power the essentials or your entire home. Some homeowners have portable generators already. Those can be used in case of an emergency as well, but remember, do not bring a portable generator indoors.
 
Keep Paths Clear & Hazard Free
 
As much as we’d all like to hibernate (or take off somewhere warm), the reality is that most of us are going to stay put during the winter. Paths and driveways should be cleared quickly when the snow falls and have a de-icing agent applied to them to prevent slips and falls. 
 
In case of a sudden major snowfall, place markers around frequently used walkways and paths to provide guidance for the homeowners who need to navigate them.

Reduce the Risk of Tree Failure

Encourage your homeowners to make pruning trees part of their seasonal maintenance, and make sure it's also part of your community's seasonal maintenance. Look for any dead trees or branches that could fall over and cause damage in a heavy winter storm, and have them safely removed before they become a problem.

 
Stay Winter Ready
 
You should already have snow removal companies contracted throughout the winter, but make sure to keep enough de-icing agent on hand to get you through any unexpected snowfall.
 
Inspect Community Amenities
 
What’s in your community? If you’ve got playground, pools, tennis courts, or gardens, even if they’ll be out of use for the season, keep a good eye on them to ensure they remain in good shape throughout the cold temperatures and are safe to use. If there are any exterior pipes in common areas that can’t be shut off for the season, wrap them in insulating material to keep them from freezing in the cold.

By following these tips, you'll keep homeowners safer and keep your community prepared for anything the winter season brings.