People living in parts of New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma are urged to get ready now for potential severe winter weather over the next few days in the form of freezing rain and possible ice accumulation.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region 6 office continues to monitor the situation and stands ready to support state and local partners as needed and requested in the affected areas.

“We encourage people to keep listening to their local and state officials for updated instructions and information. The safety of people is the first priority,” said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. “We also encourage people to have an individual or family emergency plan in place, practice that plan and put together a winter weather emergency kit.”

In addition to items normally found in an emergency preparedness kit, the winter weather kit should include:

• Rock salt or other more environmentally safe products to melt ice on walkways;
• Sand to improve traction;
• Sufficient heating fuel in case you lose power in your home; and
• Adequate clothing and blankets to keep you warm.

You will also want to minimize travel; keep a disaster supply kit in your vehicle; and bring pets inside.
More tools and resources are available online to help you prepare for, respond to and recover from any type of disaster. Visit www.Ready.gov or the Spanish language site www.Listo.gov.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.