When to Seek Help
Winter storms create emergencies that don’t look dramatic until they’re already serious.
Get help (or call emergency services) if any of the following happens:
- Suspected carbon monoxide exposure: headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, or unusual drowsiness — especially if using any fuel-burning heat source.
- Signs of hypothermia: uncontrollable shivering, confusion, slurred speech, extreme fatigue, or loss of coordination.
- You’re stranded in a vehicle: especially if visibility is poor or temperatures are dropping quickly.
- Downed power lines: stay far away and report them; treat every line as live.
- Medical needs + no heat: infants, elderly, or medically vulnerable people without safe warmth.
The Takeaway
Storm Fern doesn’t have to “hit your house” for it to disrupt your life.
In big cities, the system breaks first: roads, power, deliveries, emergency response, and the basic ability to move.
So if you’re in the path, don’t focus on the headline word “catastrophic.”
Focus on the parts you can control: safe heat, backup power, no unnecessary travel, and a plan that assumes delays.
And if you live in one of the 12 cities listed above, ask yourself one blunt question:
If the power went out tonight, would we be okay until Monday?
