Simonton Texas

Addison Marshall is Fulshear’s hometown hero.  Many in our community are familiar with young Addison’s battle to overcome Leukemia.  Still in high school, Addison is surrounded by his family, friends, neighbors, and well-wishers as he continues in his fight to beat this dreadful disease.While the medical bills continue to grow and Addison’s strength continues to be challenged, others are stepping in to help in the fight and asking for your help.  Melissa Green has taken on the task of scheduling a benefit golf tournament to help raise funds to defray the mounting medical costs.

The tournament, which is to be held at the Weston Lakes Golf Course, is scheduled for Monday, March 22.  It is set to begin at 1:00 pm. 

Please join with the community in support of this fundraiser.  The life of our neighbor, Addison Marshall, hangs in the balance.  Imagine if this were a member of your own family, then please, pick up the phone and call.  Your support is appreciated more than you know. 

Please sign up today.  To sign up or for questions, Melissa Green can be reached at 832-746-8220.

Lou Boudreaux, Mayor of the City of Simonton sent this to us.  It was originally produced by the Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities:

Important note:
In coordination with the Texas Division of Emergency Management and other agencies and organizations, 2-1-1 has gathered and continues to gather information from across the state regarding where people can go for shelter and warmth.  Warming Centers are open and continue to open for daytime shelter from the cold.  Salvation Army, the American Red Cross and other valued organizations are supporting shelters on standby across the state.  Many homeless shelters are expanding operations to accommodate homeless persons. 
 
Texans can access this information by dialing 2-1-1 on their telephone and speaking with the specialist who takes the call.  2-1-1 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Relay services can access 2-1-1 in Texas by dialing 1-877-541-7905, as can cell phone users who may have an out-of-state area code.”

Texans who are particularly vulnerable to exposure from freezing temperatures, such as the elderly and those with disabilities, should organize activities outside of their home so that they go out in the warmest part of the day.  Texans who are paralyzed from the chest or waist down and individuals who have difficulty sensing and maintaining heat in their extremities are at risk for severe frostbite and need to protect their feet, pelvic areas, and hands because of circulation problems. It is important to dress for the weather by wearing several layers of clothes, keeping one’s head, neck, and chest covered with scarves, and wearing two pairs of thick socks under lined boots. Texans using a wheelchair should wrap a blanket over their pelvic region and limit their amount of time outside.

To enable the full functioning of driving adaptation equipment in motor vehicles, allow your vehicle to warm up before you get in them. Service animals should wear a coat or cape underneath their regular harness and should sit or lay on a blanket in the vehicle or on cold floors inside your home or place of destination. Sometimes it is helpful in snow to protect your dog’s paws with boots or be sure to warm feet and clean any debris once inside.

Pneumatic tires provide better traction for wheelchairs on icy surfaces. Tires for dirt bikes (sold through bicycle shops) can be used as an alternative on icy surfaces. Ramps should be cleared of ice by using standard table salt or cat litter, as rock salt is poisonous to service dogs. Rock salt can also be slippery for certain types of mobility aides. Freezing rain will stick to canes, walkers, fore arm cuffs, and wheelchairs making the metal parts slippery and cold to touch. Driving gloves which grip can be helpful. When returning wheelchairs to vehicles, it is important to first remove the tires and shake the debris and ice off of them. The tire rims, and other metal parts that may have any salt or other de-icing chemicals on them need to be wiped off to avoid rust on the metal parts.

Public Health Interventions

Educating communities about preventive steps that they can be taken both in advance of winter and once a storm has begun will help reduce the impact. Winter storm preparation activities should include:

• Home winterization activities (insulating pipes, installing storm windows).
• Collect winter clothing and supplies such as extra blankets, warm coats and clothes, water-resistant boots, hats and mittens.
• Assemble a disaster supplies kit containing a first aid kit, battery powered weather radio, flashlight, and extra batteries.
• Stock canned food, non-electric can opener, and bottled water.
• Winterize vehicles, keep gas tank full, and assemble a disaster supplies car kit.
• In heavy snow, stay away from downed power lines.

Winter Weather Checklists (CDC guidance)

Stock up on emergency supplies for communication, food, safety, heating, and car in case a storm hits.

Communication Checklist

• Make sure you have at least one of the following in case there is a power failure:
  • Battery-powered radio (for listening to local emergency instructions). Have extra batteries.
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio receiver (for listening to National Weather Service broadcasts). See www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr for more information.
• Find out how your community warns the public about severe weather:
  • Siren
  • Radio
  • TV
• Listen to emergency broadcasts.
• Know what winter storm warning terms mean:
  • Winter weather advisory: expect winter weather conditions to cause inconvenience and hazards.
  • Frost/freeze warning: expect below-freezing temperatures.
  • Winter storm watch: be alert; a storm is likely.
  • Winter storm warning: take action; the storm is in or entering the area.
  • Blizzard warning: seek refuge immediately! Snow and strong winds, near-zero visibility, deep snow drifts, and life-threatening wind chill.

Food and Safety Checklist

Have a week’s worth of food and safety supplies. If you live far from other people, have more supplies on hand.

• Drinking water
• Canned/no-cook food (bread, crackers, dried fruits)
• Non-electric can opener
• Baby food and formula (if baby in the household)
• Prescription drugs and other medicine
• First-aid kit
• Rock-salt to melt ice on walkways
• Supply of cat litter or bag of sand to add traction on walkways
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Battery-powered lamps or lanterns
  (To prevent the risk of fire, avoid using candles.)

Water Checklist

• Leave all water taps slightly open so they drip continuously.
• Keep the indoor temperature warm.
• Allow more heated air near pipes. Open kitchen cabinet doors under the kitchen sink.
• If your pipes do freeze, do not thaw them with a torch. Thaw the pipes slowly with warm air from an electric hair dryer.
• If you cannot thaw your pipes, or if the pipes have broken open, use bottled water or get water from a neighbor’s home.
• Have bottled water on hand.
• In an emergency—if no other water is available—snow can be melted for water. Bringing water to a rolling boil for one minute will kill most germs but won’t get rid of chemicals sometimes found in snow.

Heating Checklist

• Have at least one of the following heat sources in case the power goes out:
  • Fireplace with plenty of dry firewood or gas log fireplace
  • Portable space heaters or kerosene heaters
• Check with your local fire department to make sure that kerosene heaters are legal in your area.
• Never place a space heater on top of furniture or near water.
• Use electric space heaters with
  • automatic shut-off switches and
  • nonglowing elements.
• Keep heat sources at least 3 feet away from furniture and drapes.
• Never leave children unattended near a space heater.
• Have the following safety equipment:
  • Chemical fire extinguisher
  • Smoke alarm in working order (Check once a month and change batteries once a year.)
  • Carbon monoxide detector
• Never use an electric generator indoors, inside the garage, or near the air intake of your home because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning:
  • Do not use the generator or appliances if they are wet.
  • Do not store gasoline indoors where the fumes could ignite.
  • Use individual heavy-duty, outdoor-rated cords to plug in other appliances.

Cooking and Lighting Checklist

• Never use charcoal grills or portable gas camp stove indoors—the fumes are deadly.
• Use battery-powered flashlights or lanterns.
• Avoid using candles.
• Never leave lit candles alone.

Car and Emergency Checklist

• Cell phone; portable charger and extra batteries
• Shovel
• Windshield scraper
• Battery-powered radio (and extra batteries)
• Flashlight (and extra batteries)
• Water
• Snack food
• Extra hats, coats, mittens
• Blankets
• Chains or rope
• Tire chains
• Canned compressed air with sealant (emergency tire repair)
• Road salt and sand
• Booster cables
• Emergency flares
• Bright colored flag; help signs
• First aid kit
• Tool kit
• Road maps
• Compass
• Waterproof matches and a can (to melt snow for water)
• Paper towels

 

Full PDF of Extreme Cold:  http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/pdf/cold_guide.pdf

HTML files of Extreme Cold: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/guide.asp

The following was provided by Jeff Braun, Fort Bend County Emergency Management Coordinator.  It originated at the Texas Department of Insurance.

Texas weather can change quickly, especially in the winter. A fast-moving cold front can cause temperatures to drop below freezing within hours. Outdoor pipes, pipes in unheated areas, and pipes that run along uninsulated exterior walls can burst if the water in them freezes and expands. This can shatter pipe seals or the pipes themselves, sending water pouring through your house. You can avoid thousands of dollars of damage to your walls, ceilings, carpets, and furniture by taking a few simple measures to protect your home.

Before the Freeze

• Protect faucets, outdoor pipes, and exposed pipes in unheated areas by wrapping them with rags, newspaper, trash bags, or plastic foam.
• Insulate your outdoor water meter box and be sure its lid is on tight.
• Cover any vents around your home’s foundation.
• Drain and store water hoses indoors.
• Protect outdoor electrical pumps.
• Drain swimming pool circulation systems or keep the pump motor running. (Run the pump motor only in a short freeze. Running the motor for long periods could damage it.)
• Drain water sprinkler supply lines.
• Open the cabinets under sinks in your kitchen and bathrooms to allow heated indoor air to circulate around the water pipes.
• Set your thermostat at a minimum temperature of 55 degrees, especially when you’re gone for the day or away for an extended period.
• Let indoor faucets drip; it isn’t necessary to run a stream of water.
• Make sure you know where your home’s shut-off valve is and how to turn it on and off.
• If you leave town, consider turning off your water at the shut-off valve while faucets are running to drain your pipes. Make sure you turn the faucets off before you turn the shut-off valve back on.
• If you drain your pipes, contact your electric or gas utility company for instructions on protecting your water heater.

If Your Pipes Freeze

• If a pipe bursts and floods your home, turn the water off at the shut-off valve.  Call a plumber for help if you can’t find the broken pipe or if it’s inaccessible.  Don’t turn the water back on until the pipe has been repaired.
• If the pipe hasn’t burst, thaw it out with an electric heating pad, hair dryer, portable space heater, or towel soaked with hot water. Apply heat by slowly moving the heat source toward the coldest spot on the pipe. Never concentrate heat in one spot because cracking ice can shatter a pipe. Turn the faucet on and let it run until the pipe is thawed and water pressure returns to normal.
• Don’t use a blowtorch or other open-flame device. They are fire risks and carbon monoxide exposure risks.

If You Have a Loss

• Contact your insurance agent or company promptly. Follow up as soon as possible with a written claim to protect your rights under Texas’ prompt-payment law.
• Review your coverage. Most homeowners and renters policies pay for property repair. In addition, most policies pay for debris removal and for additional living expenses if you have to move temporarily because of damage to your home. If you can’t find your policy, ask your agent or company for a copy.
• Homeowners policies may require you to make temporary repairs to protect your property from further damage. Your policy covers the cost of these repairs. Keep all receipts and damaged property for the adjuster to inspect. If possible, take photos or videos of the damage before making repairs. Don’t make permanent repairs. An insurance company may deny a claim if you make permanent repairs before an adjuster inspects the damage.
• Most homeowners policies do not cover loss caused by freezing pipes while your house is unoccupied unless you used reasonable care to maintain heat in the building; shut off the water supply; and drain water from plumbing, heating, and air conditioning systems.

Questions

If you have questions about insurance, call TDI’s Consumer Help Line toll-free: 1-800-252-3439 or visit the TDI website: www.tdi.state.tx.us. Assistance is available in both English and Spanish.