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As extreme winter weather lingers along the Texas Gulf Coast and the state, the American Red Cross would like to offer a few winter weather safety tips. In addition to these tips, please follow the advice of local and county officials as it pertains to staying home and the state of ongoing hazardous road conditions.

STAY SAFE With more severe weather forecasted over the next couple of days, the Red Cross in encouraging people to stay safe by:

• Keep warm and stay inside if possible
• If you need to go out, dress in layers and wear hats, gloves and an appropriate coat
• Avoid overexertion, as cold weather puts added strain on your body
• Bring pets indoors or provide a warm shelter.

Remind your household of the following home fire safety tips:

• Identify two exits in your home in case you have to escape a home fire
• If using a portable heater – keep heaters at least 3 feet from anything that can burn, including furniture, carpets, curtains, and people
• Place heaters on solid, non-flammable surfaces
• Never block exits with a heater and keep them out of the way of foot traffic
• Keep children away from heaters
• Always plug heaters directly into wall outlets – NEVER use an extension cord
• Turn off and unplug space heaters when leaving a room or going to bed
• Never use generators or similar devices indoors
• Test batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
• Download the Emergency App for iPhone >> or for Android >> or by visiting redcross.org/apps.

We urge you to share these Red Cross preparedness tips with every member of your household.