News
Be #WinterReady for Whenever Cold and Snow Strikes (posted January 28, 2026)
By Adam Behnke, Communications Specialist for Brown County Public Health
If this past weekend is any indication, winter hits hard when it decides to deliver a blow. Devastatingly cold temperatures enveloped Wisconsin, while extreme amounts of ice and snow hit a swath of the country to our south and east. On Sunday, January 25, more than 200 million people were under some sort of winter weather warning, hundreds of thousands of people lost power, and some 12,000 flights were canceled.
Much has been made about climate change making the world increasingly hotter. However, a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds far more deaths occur due to exposure to the cold. (You can read a scholarly article about the health effects of both heat and cold here.) In addition to cold exposure, winter can cause other problems like home fires and risky travel. This edition of the Healthy Herald is highlighting a national campaign, known as #WinterReady, in an effort to keep more people safe during the winter months. The following suggestions come from the Department of Homeland Security’s ready.gov website, a longstanding national public service campaign designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate emergencies and disasters. (Click here to visit ready.gov)
Preparing for Winter Weather
Winter storms create a higher risk of vehicle crashes, hypothermia, frostbite, carbon monoxide poisoning, and heart attacks from overexertion. Winter storms can bring extreme cold, freezing rain, snow, ice and high winds.
Know your winter weather terms:
Much has been made about climate change making the world increasingly hotter. However, a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds far more deaths occur due to exposure to the cold. (You can read a scholarly article about the health effects of both heat and cold here.) In addition to cold exposure, winter can cause other problems like home fires and risky travel. This edition of the Healthy Herald is highlighting a national campaign, known as #WinterReady, in an effort to keep more people safe during the winter months. The following suggestions come from the Department of Homeland Security’s ready.gov website, a longstanding national public service campaign designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate emergencies and disasters. (Click here to visit ready.gov)
Preparing for Winter Weather
Winter storms create a higher risk of vehicle crashes, hypothermia, frostbite, carbon monoxide poisoning, and heart attacks from overexertion. Winter storms can bring extreme cold, freezing rain, snow, ice and high winds.
Know your winter weather terms:
- Winter Storm Warning
- Issued when hazardous winter weather in the form of heavy snow, heavy freezing rain, or heavy sleet is imminent or occurring. Winter Storm Warnings are usually issued 12 to 24 hours before the event is expected to begin.
- Winter Storm Watch
- Alerts the public to the possibility of a blizzard, heavy snow, heavy freezing rain, or heavy sleet. Winter Storm Watches are usually issued 12 to 48 hours before the beginning of a Winter Storm.
- Winter Weather Advisory
- Issued for accumulations of snow, freezing rain, freezing drizzle, and sleet which will cause significant inconveniences and, if caution is not exercised, could lead to life-threatening situations.
Pay attention to weather reports and warnings of freezing weather and winter storms. Listen for emergency information and alerts and sign up for your community warning system. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio also provide emergency alerts. (Click here to learn more about the NOAA Weather Radio)
Once the storm has begun, you’ll want to stay inside shelter unless it's absolutely necessary you be outside.
Once the storm has begun, you’ll want to stay inside shelter unless it's absolutely necessary you be outside.
- Stay off roads if at all possible. If trapped in your car, then stay inside.
- Limit your time outside. If you need to go outside, then wear layers of warm clothing. Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia.
- Reduce the risk of a heart attack by avoiding overexertion when shoveling snow and walking in the snow.
It’s also important to know the signs of frostbite and hypothermia, and the basic actions you can take to counteract their effects.
- Frostbite causes loss of feeling and color around the face, fingers and toes.
- Signs: Numbness, white or grayish-yellow skin, firm or waxy skin.
- Actions: Go to a warm room. Soak in warm water. Use body heat to warm. Do not massage or use a heating pad.
- Hypothermia is an unusually low body temperature. A temperature below 95 degrees is an emergency.
- Signs: Shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech or drowsiness.
- Actions: Go to a warm room. Warm the center of the body first—chest, neck, head and groin. Keep dry and wrapped up in warm blankets, including the head and neck.
Build a Kit
Being prepared for the worst means having your own food, water and other supplies to last for several days. A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.
Ready.gov makes the following suggestions for a basic disaster supply kit:
- Water (one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation)
- Food (at least a several-day supply of non-perishable food)
- Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
- Flashlight
- First aid kit
- Extra batteries
- Whistle (to signal for help)
- Dust mask (to help filter contaminated air)
- Plastic sheeting, scissors and duct tape (to shelter in place)
- Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
- Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)
- Manual can opener (for food)
- Local maps
- Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery
You could also consider additional items for your kit, depending on your specific circumstances. (Click here to see a larger checklist from ready.gov)
12 Months, 12 Steps to Preparedness
As you can see from the lists above, these kits are more than just a few small things cobbled together. It can be quite the financial investment if you’re trying to build a kit from scratch, which is why Brown County Public Health has launched the 12 Months, 12 Steps to Preparedness initiative. Each month during 2026, we highlight one essential emergency item, with a local participating store featuring that item, making preparedness more affordable and easier to accomplish.
(Click here to learn more details about this preparedness program)
"Building a preparedness kit doesn't have to be overwhelming," says Katie Bogatitus, Preparedness Coordinator for Brown County Public Health. "By taking it step by step each month, you can make sure your home, family, and car are ready for whatever winter throws your way."
Get Your Car #WinterReady
Ideally, these steps should be completed in the fall, before the harshest weather settles on Wisconsin, but it’s never too late to get some peace of mind for winter travel.
- Have the radiator system serviced or check the antifreeze level yourself with an antifreeze tester. Add antifreeze as needed.
- Replace windshield-wiper fluid with a wintertime mixture.
- Make sure the tires on your car have adequate tread and air pressure. Replace any worn tires and fill low tires with air to the proper pressure recommended for your car (typically between 30-35 psi).
- Keep the gas tank near full to help avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines.
- Keep your car in good working order. Be sure to check the following: heater, defroster, brakes, brake fluid, ignition, emergency flashers, exhaust, oil, and battery.
Since it’s not always possible to avoid traveling during extreme winter weather, it’s a good idea to keep your vehicle stocked with preparedness items.
- Cell phone, portable charger, and extra batteries
- Items to stay warm such as extra hats, coats, mittens, and blankets
- Windshield scraper
- Shovel
- Battery-powered radio with extra batteries
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- Water and snack food
- First aid kit with any necessary medications and a pocketknife
- Tow chains or rope
- Tire chains
- Canned compressed air with sealant for emergency tire repair
- Cat litter or sand to help tires get traction, or road salt to melt ice
- Booster cables with fully charged battery or jumper cables
- Hazard or other reflectors
- Bright colored flag or help signs, emergency distress flag, and/or emergency flares
- Road maps
- Waterproof matches and a can to melt snow for water
Generator Safety
Generators are great for times when the power goes out, but they also pose a carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning risk if used incorrectly.
Generator Safety
Generators are great for times when the power goes out, but they also pose a carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning risk if used incorrectly.
- Generators and fuel should always be used outdoors and at least 20 feet away from windows, doors and attached garages.
- Install working carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can kill you, your family and pets.
- Keep the generator dry and protected from rain or flooding. Touching a wet generator or devices connected to one can cause electrical shock.
- Always connect the generator to appliances with heavy-duty extension cords.
- Let the generator cool before refueling. Fuel spilled on hot engine parts can ignite.
- Follow manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
Preventing Home Heating Fires
Heating fires were the second leading cause of home fires in 2021. An estimated 32,200 such fires were reported to fire departments across the U.S., causing nearly 200 deaths, hundreds of other injuries, and an estimated $442 million in property loss.
Heating fires were the second leading cause of home fires in 2021. An estimated 32,200 such fires were reported to fire departments across the U.S., causing nearly 200 deaths, hundreds of other injuries, and an estimated $442 million in property loss.
- Keep anything that can burn at least three feet from all heat sources including fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, portable heaters or candles.
- Always plug space heaters directly into an outlet, and make sure its cord isn’t damaged or frayed.
- Never use an oven to heat your home.
- Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected each year by a professional.
- Click here to visit the U.S. Fire Administration Home Fires page to learn about how to prepare for and prevent home fires including tips for individuals with disabilities and older adults.
Tips to Keep Your Home Warm
The deep freeze across Northeast Wisconsin the past several days has been a brutal reminder of just how cold it can get in winter. It can strain any home heating system no matter how good the house has been insulated. There are a few steps a homeowner can take to improve warmth where there live—even in drafty old homes.
- Close the doors of rooms you are not using. Close the vents and shut the doors in these rooms and keep the basement door closed. Place a rolled towel at the bottom of all doors to keep drafts out.
- About 30% of a home’s heating energy is lost through its windows. Keep window coverings like blinds or curtains open during the day to take advantage of the sun’s heat in the winter – especially windows that get direct sunlight. Close them at night to keep heat from escaping. If you have gaps around the windows, try using weather stripping or caulk to keep the cold air out. You can also apply inexpensive window insulation kits that create an airtight seal around windows.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the hazards and risks associated with cold weather and winter storms is the first step to make sure you’re #WinterReady. Like preparing for other natural hazards, you should have emergency supplies at home, at work and in the car. You should also understand how to prevent home heating fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. Visit the #WinterReady page at ready.gov to learn about some of the common hazards you might face when the weather turns cold.
Stay Healthy (and Warm), Brown County!
Understanding the hazards and risks associated with cold weather and winter storms is the first step to make sure you’re #WinterReady. Like preparing for other natural hazards, you should have emergency supplies at home, at work and in the car. You should also understand how to prevent home heating fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. Visit the #WinterReady page at ready.gov to learn about some of the common hazards you might face when the weather turns cold.
Stay Healthy (and Warm), Brown County!