Officials plan for weather

Nonemergency calls will be diverted to centers that handle crisis and counseling situations.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Even though the weather outside is anything but frightful, Mahoning County emergency officials want to be prepared when it turns that way.
County, township and state officials along with representatives of utility companies and public service agencies met Monday morning to talk about what to do in a weather emergency.
"We're not talking about when the roads are snow-covered," said Walter Duzzny, director of the county Emergency Management Agency & amp; Communications, after the meeting. "I think we all agreed that our road departments do a good job."
What they were talking about were blizzards, ice storms and long-term power outages, he said.
The county will open the emergency operations center on Industrial Road, Youngstown, if such an incident would occur, Duzzny said.
Calls to the 911 center that aren't emergencies will be diverted to other services such as the 211 system that assists residents needing crisis support or community or social services, the director said.
"We also talked about personal responsibility in terms of what is your part as an individual" in preparing for an emergency, he said.
Steps toward preparedness include leaving earlier to arrive at a destination in bad weather and dressing appropriately.
Kit items
The agency listed several items to keep in a vehicle as a winter travel survival kit:
Battery-powered radio and extra batteries.
Flashlight and extra batteries.
Blankets or sleeping bags.
Booster cables.
Fire extinguisher.
First-aid kit.
Bottled water and nonperishable high-energy foods.
Road/emergency flares.
Compass and road maps.
Ice scraper and brush.
Shovel.
Tire repair kit and pump.
Extra clothing, socks, footwear, hats, coats and gloves.
Sack of sand or nonclumping cat litter for tire traction.
Tow rope or chain.
Matches and survival candle in a deep can.
Cell phone with charger or extra battery.