This week is 2023 Winter Weather Awareness Week. Governor Andy Beshear signed a proclamation to designate December 2-9 as a time when all Kentuckians should think about cold weather safety.
Kentucky has a history of severe weather events in the winter, including arctic freezes and polar plunges last year. Officials said dangerously cold temperatures can be harmful to people and make driving hazardous.
Governor Andy Beshear said too many Kentuckians have been lost to severe weather events in the last few years.
“What I’ve seen is people becoming more and more and more weather aware and even when we’ve faced cold the likes of which I had never seen, that could have easily taken the lives of dozens of Kentuckians, we have responded by looking out after each other and by doing what it takes to protect ourselves and our families,” said Beshear.
Officials said winter storms bring with them many dangers including higher risk for car accidents, hypothermia, frostbite, carbon monoxide poisoning, and even heart attacks from overexertion.
Governor Beshear said Kentuckians need to be prepared for whatever winter weather comes our way.
“Some ways you can do that are first, preparing your home for winter, like insulating pipes, using space heaters safely, and making sure your carbon monoxide detector is working. And making sure you have enough supplies in case you have to stay home for several days without power,” said Beshear.
The governor said in most cold weather events more people are lost from having a generator too close to the home or poisoning by carbon monoxide getting into the home than in the actual storm.
People are advised to become familiar with winter advisories, watches and warnings.
More winter weather tips can be found online.
