Living in Western New York, there is absolutely one thing we can be sure of: snow will happen in Buffalo. Sometimes that snow comes in epic proportions and we need to be ready for an emergency weather event.

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When it comes to dealing with extreme winter weather, We do a great job in the 716 in making sure cold weather and heavy snow are handled professionally and efficiently.

For years, officials from other cities and states have come to Buffalo to learn how we do things so well. However, sometimes when the weather happens, it comes in so fast that it can catch us by surprise.

Just look back at some past weather events like the October Storm or Snowvember as examples of when bad weather overwhelms our system and those of us will have to get along on our own for a few days (or longer).

When these sorts of emergency events happen, it's extremely important to be prepared with the basics to help ensure the best possible outcome for you and your loved ones. It’s challenging to think on the fly about what you need while you are in a crisis, so here are a few tools and ideas for you to take care of now before the snowflakes fly.

Identification

The number one item you need in any kind of emergency is identification. Whether you need to cross the border, go to the hospital, or rent a car; identification will be required to get you where you need to go. So have your ID in a safe place that you can get to in an emergency.

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Healthcare Proxy

Sometimes when an emergency happens, people get hurt. If you find yourself heading to the hospital yourself or with a loved one, make sure you have identified your or your loved one’s health care proxy, in the event that they cannot make their own health decisions, you want to make sure someone trustworthy can do so.

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Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash
Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash
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Batteries and Flashlights

Bad Buffalo weather has been known to cause power outages and a power outage can range from a minor inconvenience to an emergency. For minor inconveniences, a basic set of batteries and a flashlight may be just what you need. For those with medical devices, please consider asking your doctor about methods of backup power in advance. Often, a simple power block can tide you over from a power outage to the restoration of power.

Photo by Andreas Dress on Unsplash
Photo by Andreas Dress on Unsplash
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Warm Blankets

It may sound too simple, but a warm blanket can both provide security and comfort during an emergency. It's always nice to have something familiar in an unfamiliar environment. Children and Adults alike find something soft and comforting enough to keep anxiety and fears at bay during an emergency, and of course, in cold weather, a blanket may be what you need to keep warm.

Photo by Genessa Panainte on Unsplash
Photo by Genessa Panainte on Unsplash
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What are some additional things that you can think of that we should prep in case of a weather emergency?

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