Q&A: Emergency management director talks winter, supplies

Editor's note: This is one in a continuing series of interviews with local officials. Antoinette Brezovsky is the emergency management director for the city of Portales.

Q: When temperatures start to get cold like they have been this last week, are there any common problems that you guys have to respond to? And if so, can you elaborate on what you see?

A: I guess of course there's always a concern about people who don't have proper heating in their homes or don't have homes in general.

One of the main concerns that we worry about is people using their space heaters incorrectly because I think at least once a year we have a fire related to space heaters not being used correctly.

We would really appreciate it if people would read the warnings on those and follow them closely to make certain that they're not being covered, or the wires are strong. They're wonderful machines but can be very dangerous if they're used incorrectly.

Q: How would you suggest people stock their cars with emergency supplies?

A: Everybody should have a basic emergency kit in their car. Usually if it's stocked correctly, it could last year-round, even in the middle of summer.

If you have a blanket in your car, it's helpful. You're going to definitely want water. Of course, during the summer, you have to worry about water and plastic because plastic will melt into the water and then you're just drinking melted plastic. In the winter, you have to make sure the water isn't frozen, so it's a little bit different.

You want to try to keep as much as you can of flares anytime that you leave your house, especially if the weather is cold.

You want to make certain that you have a full tank of gas.

If your battery is an older battery or in general, you should have jumper cables.

Make certain that your tires are aired up properly, especially with the change of temperature.

Get your oil changed; it'll make your cars run more efficiently during the cold months.

Q: Where would you suggest people find road condition reports?

A: Call 511. It works like a number like 911, but it's a nationwide service. It'll get you the road conditions in whichever state you're in. The conditions are in real time too, so they'll give you those road conditions almost immediately.

It's also linked to nmroads.com . That will pull up pretty much the same information you get on 511.

We try to discourage people from calling the 911 dispatch center because people will do that. But this resource (511) is the exact resource that they need for that. So it'll help free up some of their time so they can focus on more emergencies.

Definitely follow the road conditions. I know it's been a while but during Goliath (2015 storm) we had people still dropping out on these closed roads because they believe that first responders would still be able to get to them and rescue them if something bad happened. Don't go on the closed roads, because they're closed for a reason. It's just as dangerous for first responders as it is for you.

Q: What do you do if you find yourself trapped in a blizzard?

A: Something that I learned during Goliath, because I worked at the 911 dispatch center then, is that if there's a lot of snow, put out a noticeable, colored cloth. That way it's noticeable to people who are driving that there's someone in there.

If you're sitting in your car for the warmth, every half hour or so, make certain that you open the door to make sure the snow hasn't piled up against the door. Try not to run the car constantly, because if snow covers up the tailpipe, you're basically just sucking in that carbon dioxide.

If in doubt, don't go on the road. If you have a safe spot, stay there. Of course, if you can be safe at home, be safe at home.

I know everybody wants to go out and drive in the middle of the snow for some reason. It's just human nature when it's snowing and dangerous, people want to go out and be playing in it. Try to avoid that urge and save the roads for people who actually have to be on the roads.

There's usually a meme that I post on our Facebook about how to drive on slick roads and it's valid. Just imagine that your grandmother is sitting in the seat next to you and she has an open pot of beans, then you have open containers of tea in the back and imagine how you would drive in those situations. Drive very carefully, drive slowly, make certain that you leave a lot of room in front of you to stop, and leave the house early so that you don't feel like you're in a rush.

Q: How would you avoid getting frostbite?

A: That would be more of a medical question, but you definitely can use your own body heat to help with the frostbite. I know you can stick your hand in your armpits; that's a very nice warm place.

Obviously, get medical assistance for temporary first aid. You don't want to run your hands under hot, hot water. The best thing to do is run them under lukewarm water and slowly increase the temperature as you feel comfortable. But if you immediately put it under hot water, that's just as bad as pouring freezing cold water over someone who's having heat stroke. It'll put your body in a shock and cause more damage to the skin than it helps.

- Compiled by Landry Sena, the Staff of the News