SAN ANTONIO - As the worst of the ice storm approaches, power outages could be possible come Wednesday morning.
The worst case scenario is the power going out during the night. After speaking to survival expert, Dan Baird of SERE Survival Training, people can prepare with simple items at home to make sure they are ready in an emergency.
Grab items and keep them easily accessible:
- flashlight
- batteries and extra batter source
- non-perishable foods
- extra clothes and blankets
- medications
Baird says to keep cell phones fully charged and a full gas tank in your vehicle. He lists the worst accidents from the last winter storm, "one were car accidents, (two) dealing with health issues without power, (three) carbon monoxide poisoning from things like gas stoves and heaters not used properly, (four) and fires when people were doing fires when they weren't prepared for it."
Emergency officials have urged people to stay off the roads and stay home if possible. But if people must get on the road, make sure enough space in-between vehicles is alloted, as well as driving slowly.
Ford Driving Skills for Life expert Mike Speck, says ice can accumulate faster on bridges and overpasses.
He says avoiding driving altogether is the best approach, but if someone finds themselves stuck on ice, the best thing to do is look where you want your car to end up.
"In many cases you don't need to use the pedals at all," says Speck, "the best thing you can do is to look where you want the car to go and don't look at what you don't want to hit."
Speck says another tip is to have a first aid kit and other essentials in the vehicle in case of emergencies on the road.
With the ice storm, several school closures have kept parents home and away from work. This can pose financial stresses for many, but there are programs to help with assistance if needed.
The United Way San Antonio urge people to call 211 for financial, food and other resources.
United Way San Antonio's Director of Communication Kevin Femmel says people can call 211 any time of the day and every day of the week. He says if people are looking for assistance, another resource is the Vita Tax Assistance program.
Femmel says it is possible to receive the tax refund quicker than expected for households that earn up to $55,000 a year.
"And some locations they can get refund anticipation loans for less than $25 dollars, or less fee, and actually get their refund today - when they do it."
United Way San Antonio also has the most up-to-date resources for organizations that can provide immediate assistance to families.