{"id":17036,"date":"2026-01-22T10:33:40","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T15:33:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/news\/?page_id=17036"},"modified":"2026-01-22T10:33:40","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T15:33:40","slug":"richmond-and-henrico-health-districts-urges-the-community-to-prepare-for-incoming-winter-storm","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/news\/public-relations-contacts\/2026-regional-news-releases\/richmond-and-henrico-health-districts-urges-the-community-to-prepare-for-incoming-winter-storm\/","title":{"rendered":"Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Urges the Community to Prepare for Incoming Winter Storm"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>January 22, 2026<br \/>\n<strong>Media Contact:<\/strong> Bryan Hooten, 804-807-1727, <a href=\"mailto:bryan.hooten@vdh.virginia.gov\">bryan.hooten@vdh.virginia.gov<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Urges the Community to Prepare for Incoming Winter Storm<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>RICHMOND, Va. \u2013<\/strong> Richmond City and Henrico County are expected to be impacted by severe winter weather, including snow, ice, and extremely cold temperatures. Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) urge you to prepare now to keep yourself, your family and your pets safe, warm and healthy during this storm.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have all experienced how disruptive winter weather can be to our daily lives,\u201d said Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Director Elaine Perry, M.D. \u201cTake time now to make sure your home, family, friends, and neighbors are ready for this winter storm. Prepare for the storm by organizing your emergency kits and medicines, insulating your home, and staying up to date on weather reports. During the storm, stay indoors as much as possible, ventilate emergency heat sources and check on friends and family. Let\u2019s take care of ourselves and each other as winter weather affects our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Before the Storm<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Make sure you have an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/news\/severe-weather-preparedness\/preparing-your-emergency-supply-kit\/\">emergency supply kit<\/a> on hand and keep an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/winter-weather\/safety\/#cdc_preparedness_steps_h2-get-your-car-ready\">emergency kit for your car<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Organize and protect your prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, home-use medical devices, and vitamins. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how you can create an emergency supply of medicines.<\/li>\n<li>Check your smoke and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/environmental-health\/public-health-toxicology\/carbon-monoxide\/\">carbon monoxide<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Replenish fuel for your car and heating sources.<\/li>\n<li>Weatherproof your home by insulating exposed pipes and caulking and weather strip doors\/windows.<\/li>\n<li>Make sure you understand the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weather.gov\/lwx\/warningsdefined\">warnings, watches and advisories<\/a> and have multiple ways to receive alerts.<\/li>\n<li>Write down the contact information and directions to your local <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rva.gov\/human-services\/heat-relief-resources#:~:text=The%20inclement%20weather%20(IWS)%20shelter,NOT%20a%20year%2Dround%20shelter.&amp;text=The%20IWS%20provides%20dinner%20and,come%2C%20first%2Dserved%20basis.\">Inclement Weather Shelter<\/a> or warming center. Call 804-646-3111 or email <a href=\"mailto:homeless@rva.gov\">homeless@rva.gov<\/a> for more information.\n<ul>\n<li><strong>City of Richmond Inclement Weather Shelter (IWS)<\/strong><br \/>\n1900 Chamberlayne Parkway<br \/>\nRichmond, VA, 23222<br \/>\nOpen 5 p.m.-8 a.m.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The shelter may remain open after 8 a.m. when temperatures are less than or equal to 40\u00b0F, or when more than one inch of freezing rain or snow has fallen in 24-hours.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/rvalibrary.org\/about\/hours\">Richmond Public Library<\/a> branches serve as warming spaces during normal operating hours.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.henricolibrary.org\/locations\">Henrico County libraries<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/henrico.gov\/rec\/parks\/\">recreation centers<\/a> are open to the public during normal operating hours.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>During\/After the Storm<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Bring <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weather.gov\/images\/wrn\/Infographics\/2022\/winter-pets-2022.png\">your pets<\/a> indoors and ensure they have water.<\/li>\n<li>Stay indoors and limit your exposure to the cold.<\/li>\n<li>Properly ventilate emergency heat sources.<\/li>\n<li>Keep generators outside at least 20 feet from your home.20<\/li>\n<li>Check on neighbors and family.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you must go outside, take the following precautions to stay safe and prevent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/winter-weather\/prevention\/preventing-frostbite.html\">frostbite<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/winter-weather\/prevention\/\">hypothermia<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Wear proper footwear for traction. Take slow, short steps.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.weather.gov\/images\/ohx\/Preparedness\/Winter\/_images_wrn_social_media_cold_infographic.jpg\">Dress warmly<\/a> and in layers. Make sure you cover your head, fingers and toes.<\/li>\n<li>Avoid getting wet and change out of wet clothes as soon as possible.<\/li>\n<li>Stay hydrated. Drink warm beverages.<\/li>\n<li>Take frequent breaks if <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weather.gov\/images\/ohx\/Preparedness\/Winter\/_images_wrn_Infographics_2022_Safe-Shoveling-2022.png\">shoveling<\/a> snow or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/niosh\/cold-stress\/about\/index.html\">working outdoors<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Stay off the roads. If you must travel, check the road conditions and your route first. Allow extra time and follow these tips from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdot.virginia.gov\/travel-traffic\/driver-safety\/weather\/\">Virginia Department of Transportation<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>RHHD wants you to stay safe, warm and healthy! Visit <a href=\"https:\/\/rhhd.gov\/\">rhhd.gov<\/a> for more health and safety information. Follow RHHD on Instagram (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/richmondcity_hd\">@richmondcity_hd<\/a>) and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/RichmondHenricoHealthDistricts\">Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"># # #<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>January 22, 2026 Media Contact: Bryan Hooten, 804-807-1727, bryan.hooten@vdh.virginia.gov Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Urges the Community to Prepare for Incoming Winter Storm RICHMOND, Va. \u2013 Richmond City and Henrico County are expected to be impacted by severe winter weather, including snow, ice, and extremely cold temperatures. Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) urge you [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":258,"featured_media":0,"parent":16853,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[196,903,1451,682,674,1425,1450,785],"class_list":["post-17036","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","tag-dr-elaine-perry","tag-emergency-kit","tag-inclement-weather-shelter","tag-richmond-and-henrico-health-districts","tag-severe-weather-preparedness","tag-vehicle-emergency-supplies","tag-winter-weater","tag-winter-weather-safety"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Urges the Community to Prepare for Incoming Winter Storm - 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\/2026-regional-news-releases\/richmond-and-henrico-health-districts-urges-the-community-to-prepare-for-incoming-winter-storm\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Urges the Community to Prepare for Incoming Winter Storm - Newsroom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"January 22, 2026 Media Contact: Bryan Hooten, 804-807-1727, bryan.hooten@vdh.virginia.gov Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Urges the Community to Prepare for Incoming Winter Storm RICHMOND, Va. \u2013 Richmond City and Henrico County are expected to be impacted by severe winter weather, including snow, ice, and extremely cold temperatures. 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