Climate Smart Task Force urges winter readiness

The Hurley Climate Smart Task Force has been talking about how to prepare for winter emergencies. Who can forget that most of Hurley was without electricity during a zero-degree cold snap for up to a week in the winter of 2021-22?! For many of us, that meant no heat; and if you have a well, no running water.

Every household should have a strategy in place for dealing with emergencies, and now there's a new “Disaster Preparedness” section on the Town of Hurley website that can help. You can find it here: townofhurley.org/disaster-preparedness.

You'll find some good ideas there, like how much water you should store. But every household is different, and plans should be customized. You might have a fireplace or a back-up generator, you might only have an outdoor barbecue, or you might not have cellphone service. We urge you to come up with an emergency plan for your own home, and we'd love to hear some suggestions.

How did you get through last year's emergency? Are you making any changes to prepare for this year? Email your comments and suggestions to us at ClimateSmart@townofhurley.org, or comment on our website, climatesmarthurley.org/news.