The residents of Lake Arrowhead, California, are buried in snow and begging for help. Watch this heartbreaking video from Michelle Calkins in Lake Arrowhead, who begs authorities to help the residents of Crestline, Lake Arrowhead, and Running Springs. There are nine feet of snow on the streets, and people are in danger.
Lake Arrowhead resident Michelle Calkins
Michelle sent me this video to share with all of you. Residents are begging for help and they need our help to share their messages. After I got off the phone with her I felt the stress in her voice. @SBCOUNTYFIRE @sbcountysheriff… https://t.co/mhitK8XebQ pic.twitter.com/xI93qdTNf6
— FirePhotoGirl (@FirePhotoGirl) March 1, 2023
That emotional plea for help caught the attention of news media, and Calkins spoke with FOX11 in L.A. She said, “People are panicking left and right. We’ve had roofs starting to cave in. Houses are blowing up because of gas leaks and catching on fire. And these are real things that are happening here.” Thanks in part to the attention Calkins has generated, the state has activated the National Guard. Hopefully, she and the residents of all the affected communities will receive help shortly.
What can you take away from Calkins’s experience to prevent the same from happening to your family? Listen to the problems she’s highlighted in her video and in her words to FOX11:
- Medicine – People are running out. Make sure you have extra on hand if you have prescriptions.
- Formula – If you have an infant who drinks formula, please put some aside for emergencies. This can be difficult due to shortages, but do what you can.
- Roofs caving in, or houses catching fire – If your house became unliveable unexpectedly, where would you go? Have a plan for evacuation.
- Gas explosions – Please work with your gas and propane companies to understand how to prepare yourself for this situation to avoid a disaster.
What else can you do? Here’s a pre-storm preparation list from FEMA that can help you get started:
- Know your area’s risk for winter storms. Extreme winter weather can leave communities without utilities or other services for long periods of time.
- Prepare your home to keep out the cold with insulation, caulking, and weather stripping. Learn how to keep pipes from freezing. Install and test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backups.
- Pay attention to weather reports and warnings of freezing weather and winter storms. Sign up for your community’s warning system. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio also provide emergency alerts.
- Gather supplies in case you need to stay home for several days without power. Keep in mind each person’s specific needs, including medication. Do not forget the needs of pets. Have extra batteries for radios and flashlights.
- Create an emergency supply kit for your car. Include jumper cables, sand, a flashlight, warm clothes, blankets, bottled water, and non-perishable snacks. Keep the gas tank full.
- Learn the signs of and basic treatments for frostbite and hypothermia. For more information, visit: www.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/staysafe/index.html.
Action Line: Getting prepared is a lot like planting a tree, the best time to do it was yesterday. But the second best time is today. Don’t wait. Start preparing your family now. Click here to sign up for my monthly Survive & Thrive letter, and we’ll get prepared together.
E.J. Smith - Your Survival Guy
Latest posts by E.J. Smith - Your Survival Guy (see all)
- Know Thyself: “Don’t Just Do Something, Stand There” - November 1, 2024
- Could Germany Forget How to Build Cars? - November 1, 2024
- J.D. Vance Is Ready for the White House - November 1, 2024
- Survive and Thrive October 2024: How You Know If You’re Spending Too Much - October 31, 2024
- Dreaming of Queen Mary 2, MJ, and YOU - October 31, 2024