{"id":16734,"date":"2025-12-29T15:24:26","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T20:24:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/news\/?page_id=16734"},"modified":"2025-12-29T15:24:26","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T20:24:26","slug":"crater-health-district-urges-residents-to-be-prepared-for-the-unpredictable-impacts-of-winter-weather","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/news\/public-relations-contacts\/archived-news-releases\/2025-regional-news-releases\/crater-health-district-urges-residents-to-be-prepared-for-the-unpredictable-impacts-of-winter-weather\/","title":{"rendered":"Crater Health District Urges Residents to Be Prepared  for the Unpredictable Impacts of Winter Weather"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>December 29, 2025<\/p>\n<p><strong>Media Contact:<\/strong> Tara Rose, Tara.Rose@vdh.virginia.gov<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Crater Health District Urges Residents to Be Prepared<br \/>\nfor the Unpredictable Impacts of Winter Weather<br \/>\n<\/strong><em>Stay Safe This Winter with These Tips<\/em><\/p>\n<p>PETERSBURG, Va. \u2013 The Crater Health District reminds residents that winter weather can be dangerous and unpredictable. Snow, ice and freezing conditions can lead to unexpected injuries and accidents. These conditions can increase the risk of hazardous travel, power outages, and health impacts, especially for older adults, children, and people with chronic health problems.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWinter weather can be unpredictable. Be ready before winter storms arrive,\u201d said Crater District Health Director, Dr. Alton Hart, Jr. \u201cWe encourage every household to prepare emergency kits for your home and vehicles. Taking practical steps today can prevent emergencies tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ready.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-03\/ready.gov_winter-storm_hazard-info-sheet.pdf\">By preparing ahead of time<\/a> you can avoid emergencies, protect your health and keep your loved ones safe. Follow these tips to be better prepared for the cold weather season.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ready.gov\/kit\">Have an emergency kit<\/a> with supplies such flashlights, batteries, blankets, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ready.gov\/food\">food<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ready.gov\/water\">water<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/winter-weather\/safety\/index.html\">Winterize your home<\/a> by insulating walls and attics, caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows.<\/li>\n<li>Check batteries in smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors.<\/li>\n<li>Prepare your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ready.gov\/car\">vehicle with emergency supplies<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Use space heaters safely. Keep heat sources at least three feet away from drapes, furniture, bedding, or other flammable materials. Never cover your space heater.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Preparation before dangerous winter weather arrives is critical. The best time to prepare for severe winter weather is now, before temperatures drop significantly and staying safe and warm becomes a challenge. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/winter-weather\/safety\/stay-safe-during-after-a-winter-storm-safety.html#cdc_preparedness_in_case-frostbite-and-hypothermia\">Take these precautions to lower your risk of illness<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Wear cold appropriate clothing like gloves, hats, scarves and snow boots.<\/li>\n<li>Be aware of the wind chill factor.<\/li>\n<li>Remove any wet clothing immediately.<\/li>\n<li>Limit your time outdoors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you plan to travel, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdot.virginia.gov\/\">Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)<\/a> provides travel advisories on current road conditions and weather forecasts. Travelers can easily access weather information by dialing 511, 24 hours a day, seven days a week or via the website at <a href=\"https:\/\/511.vdot.virginia.gov\/\">511.vdot.virginia.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Learn more about staying safe this winter by contacting contact Crater Health District directly at 804-863-1652 or visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/crater\/\">Crater Health District<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"># # #<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>December 29, 2025 Media Contact: Tara Rose, Tara.Rose@vdh.virginia.gov Crater Health District Urges Residents to Be Prepared for the Unpredictable Impacts of Winter Weather Stay Safe This Winter with These Tips PETERSBURG, Va. \u2013 The Crater Health District reminds residents that winter weather can be dangerous and unpredictable. Snow, ice and freezing conditions can lead to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":258,"featured_media":0,"parent":12292,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[372,1140,903,1425,1385,1426,1424],"class_list":["post-16734","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","tag-crater-health-district","tag-dr-alton-hart","tag-emergency-kit","tag-vehicle-emergency-supplies","tag-virginia-department-of-transportation","tag-winter-weather-tips","tag-winterize-your-home"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Crater Health District Urges Residents to Be Prepared for the Unpredictable Impacts of Winter Weather - Newsroom<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/news\/public-relations-contacts\/archived-news-releases\/2025-regional-news-releases\/crater-health-district-urges-residents-to-be-prepared-for-the-unpredictable-impacts-of-winter-weather\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Crater Health District Urges Residents to Be Prepared for the Unpredictable Impacts of Winter Weather - Newsroom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"December 29, 2025 Media Contact: Tara Rose, Tara.Rose@vdh.virginia.gov Crater Health District Urges Residents to Be Prepared for the Unpredictable Impacts of Winter Weather Stay Safe This Winter with These Tips PETERSBURG, Va. \u2013 The Crater Health District reminds residents that winter weather can be dangerous and unpredictable. 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