I know a lot of you are watching the news right now, and you are scared. I have been reading your comments, and I know that many of you are worried about keeping your power on, keeping your oxygen running. You’re worried about food spoiling. You’re worried about how to stay warm.
So today, we are going to address all of that. If you are in the path of this winter storm, I need you to listen to me for the next few minutes, because we are going to cut through all of the panic. In fact, we took a great deal of care to organize this video by urgency.
First, we’re going to talk about the basic safety stuff, especially for those of you who may rely on things like oxygen or medical devices. Once we get through the emergency stuff, we’re going to talk about shelter—where to go if you have no heat, if you’re living in your car, or if you start to feel cold. After that, we’re going to dive into the financial resources: how you can get your SNAP benefits or food replaced, how to get help with utility bills, or other needs that may arise in the aftermath of this. And at the very end, we’re going to dive into a digital toolkit that can help you get through it.
This is a transcript of our video. You can watch the full video on our YouTube channel: Low Income Relief.
Emergency Safety and Medical Needs
Let’s start with the emergencies. First and foremost, I am obviously not a first responder. If you are currently having a life-threatening medical emergency, please call 911 immediately. Do not wait.
For everything else, like finding shelter, food, or non-emergency help, your first call should usually be to 211. But you do need to be realistic—211 is going to be overwhelmed. Wait times could be long, and lines might be busy. If you cannot get through to 211, please do not give up. Keep reading, because I’m going to give you some specific strategies and other places you can contact directly for support if you need it right now.
If you or a family member relies on electricity for oxygen, CPAP, dialysis, or other medical equipment, and you are looking at a battery that isn’t going to last the night, that is an emergency.
Please call your utility company now. Do not wait for the power to go out. Ask about their critical care or medical baseline program. Many utilities can flag your account and prioritize restoration if they know someone in the home is medically dependent on power.
You can also call your local fire department using the non-emergency dispatch line. If you tell them that someone at the address is medically dependent on electricity—especially for oxygen—they may be able to help. In some areas, they maintain welfare checklists or can help move equipment, connect you to shelters, or offer guidance if conditions worsen.
If roads are bad and you are medically fragile, reach out to local emergency services before trying to travel. Policies vary by city, and some buildings may be locked or understaffed, so always call ahead.
You should also have a plan B. If your battery will only last a few hours, don’t wait until the last minute. Know where you’re going before the power cuts out. Options may include a hospital lobby, a medical needs shelter through 211, or sometimes a fire station. These locations typically have backup generators and may allow you to charge life-sustaining equipment during a crisis.
If you or a loved one needs dialysis and travel is unsafe or power is unstable, call your dialysis center immediately. If you cannot reach them or you are going to miss a treatment, go to the emergency room. Hospitals can usually coordinate emergency dialysis during storms.
Carbon Monoxide, Unsafe Heat, and Hypothermia
Before we talk more about warming centers, we need to talk about the two things that kill people most often during winter storms. It often isn’t the cold itself. It’s carbon monoxide and unsafe heating sources.
Carbon monoxide is invisible and odorless. You cannot smell it, but it is deadly. If you feel dizzy, nauseous, confused, or unusually sleepy during a power outage, that could be carbon monoxide poisoning. Leave immediately and call 911. Do not try to push through it.
If your carbon monoxide detector goes off, leave immediately. If you don’t have one and can safely get to a store, consider getting one. If you can’t, be extremely aware of the symptoms.
Never use a gas grill, charcoal grill, or kitchen oven to heat your home. Do not run a generator in your garage or near windows. Never sit in a car with the engine running inside a garage, even if the door is open. These methods are extremely dangerous and can be fatal. It is better to be cold and alive than to use unsafe heat sources.
You also need to watch for signs of hypothermia. These include shivering that suddenly stops, slurred speech or mumbling, confusion, extreme drowsiness, and pale or bright red cold skin. If you see these signs, call 911 immediately. This is a medical emergency.
Phone, Water, and Immediate Preparedness
Your phone is your lifeline. Charge it now if you still have power. Don’t wait until the storm hits. If the power goes out, keep your phone warm—cold drains batteries faster. Keep it in your pocket or against your body.
When possible, text instead of calling. Text messages often go through even when phone calls fail.
If you still have water, fill bottles or containers now. If a boil advisory is issued and you don’t have power, bottled water or warming centers can help. If you’re on a well, filling bathtubs ahead of the storm can allow you to flush toilets even if power goes out.
Warming Centers and Shelter Options
If your home has lost heat or you’re watching this from your car, you need to make some decisions. If you do not have a safe way to stay warm, you need to find a warming center.
Warming centers are not the same as homeless shelters. You usually don’t need ID, paperwork, or an intake process. These are temporary, warm community spaces designed to help people survive extreme cold. They are often located in libraries, recreation centers, churches, or community buildings.
If you have mobility needs or disabilities, call 211 and ask specifically about accessible warming centers. Many are ADA compliant. If transportation is an issue, ask about Code Blue transport. During severe storms, police or outreach teams may provide rides to prevent hypothermia.
If you have pets, ask about pet-friendly or co-sheltering options. Do not risk freezing in a vehicle because you’re afraid to leave your dog behind. There are often emergency options that can take both of you.
Staying Home Safely: The Microclimate Strategy
If you cannot leave because roads are closed or you are physically unable to move, focus on trapping heat. Do not try to heat your entire home. Heat one small room with few windows.
Move everyone into that room. Close doors to unused rooms. Block gaps under doors with towels or blankets. Cover windows with blankets, bubble wrap, or even trash bags. Glass is where most heat is lost, and covering windows makes a big difference.
Building a small tent or blanket fort over a bed can help trap body heat. It can be up to 10 degrees warmer inside than the rest of the room.
If you have heat but are afraid to turn it up because of the cost, please don’t worry about that right now. Assistance programs exist to help with heating bills. Staying safe is the priority.
If your landlord refuses to fix broken heat, that may violate the implied warranty of habitability. You can contact code enforcement in your city. Many states also have winter moratoriums that make it illegal for utilities to shut off heat during freezing weather.
Keep space heaters at least three feet away from anything flammable. Never leave candles or heaters unattended. Let faucets drip slightly to prevent pipes from freezing, and avoid going out on icy roads unless absolutely necessary.
SNAP, Food Loss, and Financial Help
If you rely on SNAP and lose food because of a power outage, federal rules allow replacement benefits in disasters—but you must follow the rules.
Generally, power must be out for at least four hours. Do not throw away spoiled food before taking pictures. Take a screenshot of your power company’s outage map showing your area. You usually have 10 days from when power is restored to file a replacement affidavit. If you miss that window, your request may be denied.
Call your caseworker as soon as offices reopen. Be patient—lines will likely be overwhelmed.
If you have refrigerated medications, many can remain safe for limited periods without power. Keep them insulated and call your pharmacy or doctor for guidance before discarding anything.
If you heat with propane, oil, or wood, or receive a shutoff notice, ask about LIHEAP crisis grants. Crisis LIHEAP is designed to be processed quickly when there is a life-threatening lack of heat. Contact your local community action agency as soon as possible.
Digital Toolkit and Key Resources
If 211 is overwhelmed, here are other important resources:
- Red Cross Shelter Map: Use the interactive map to find currently open shelters.
- Disability and Disaster Hotline: Run by the Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies to help people with disabilities navigate emergencies.
- Mental Health Support Hotline: Free, confidential, 24/7 emotional support during disasters.
- Road Conditions: Call 511 to reach your state’s Department of Transportation for real-time road conditions and closures.
- Rx Open: Helps locate open pharmacies during major disasters. You can also call your doctor’s after-hours line for emergency prescriptions.
Final Thoughts and Printable Guide
I know we covered a lot today. If you would like a printable copy of all of this, please go to https://lirlinks.com/cold. You can download it there. That will also get you on our email list so we don’t miss any other resources we find for you.
Once you’re done, please reach out to one neighbor—especially someone elderly or living alone. Call or text them. Ask if they have heat and a plan. Sometimes people are too scared or too proud to ask for help, and you might be the person who saves them.
Please take care of yourselves and each other.