Winter Storm Warning again? Yes they seem to be coming more frequently as the winter winds down. Still it’s a good time to take a look at your home from an insurance standpoint to see if you are ready. First and foremost, have you reviewed your coverage with your agent lately? That alone is the most important thing you can do to protect your home properly. When a Winter Storm Warning hits, do you have a plan? Stock up. Get some water just in case power goes down. If you want to be really prepared, have a generator on hand. These late winter storms generally have big heave flakes that knock down trees and take out power. Even though you have coverage for spoiled freezer food, when are you going to get more Elk or Venison!

When I get a Winter Storm Warning in Sedalia in Western Douglas County where I live, I usually run through the checklist:

1. Snow shovel by the front door and by the gate
2. Open the vanity cabinets below the sink
   1. If it gets really cold let he faucet drip a little

i.      This is extra insurance against freezing pipes.

1. Check the main water shutoff valve to be sure it opens and closes easily
2. Clean the filter in the Furnace. This will make it more efficient and not run as much
3. Check our safety supplies. I have a list I run through Batteries, water, food. Not too extensive, but you can be as aggressive here as you like. There are classes and courses too if you really want to be prepared. The Red Cross has an excellent and conservative list available here:
   1. http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/winter-storm
   2. Back up my computer to portable hard drive.
      1. This way our Household inventory, pictures and all our important documents are safe and portable if we have to leave hurriedly for any reason.
      2. Pets and Livestock. Have leashes and food handy just in case for for the dogs Carriers for the cats. Trailers for the larger animals staged where you can get to them if necessary.

Lastly, I put a big pot on the stove and make a huge batch of Green Chili, or maybe Ham and Beans, hunker down with the family and some old movies or a good book and pray we get a couple of feet so we don’t have to do anything but stay home and watch while we have some great family time! Enjoy your Winter Storm Warning!