With a major winter storm expected to hit parts of Kansas Friday evening, officials are offering residents tips on how to stay safe this weekend.
Sedgwick County officials suggest having enough food and water on hand to last through the storm. They also recommend having a power outage plan that includes identifying a safe place to stay and making sure generators are fueled.
Download storm preparation tips from the American Red Cross
Col. Mark Bruce with the Kansas Highway Patrol encourages drivers to limit their time on the roads.
“We would highly recommend if you don’t have a reason to be out over the next couple of days that you stay at home," he said during a briefing Friday. "If you do find it necessary to be traveling, make sure that your vehicle has a full tank of gas, make sure your windshield wipers are working correctly, make sure you increase your following distances, reduce your speed.”
The Kansas Division of Emergency Management will monitor the storm, which some forecasts say will cover areas of the state with as much as 1 inch of ice over the weekend. The agency has alerted soldiers with the Kansas National Guard to assist with emergency response efforts if needed.
Gov. Sam Brownback said at Friday's briefing that "it's not too late to prepare" for what could be a long weekend.
--
Follow Nadya Faulx on Twitter @NadyaFaulx.
To contact KMUW News or to send in a news tip, reach us at news@kmuw.org.
