RICHMOND, Va. — The state's top doctor is encouraging Virginians to think about the impending winter storm as not just a weather event, but also "an event that can really impact their health."
Because of that, State Health Commissioner Dr. Cameron Webb said "preparation is the most important thing right now."
He said steps you can take to prepare include charging your communication devices and medical devices if you have them, along with backups.
Additionally, Webb said you'll want to fill your prescriptions now, check smoke detectors, check carbon monoxide monitoring devices, and think about organizing a personal preparedness kit.
“If you had to leave quickly, what do you need? What do your kids need? What do your pets need? What should be in that 'go bag,' if you will, of things that you're taking with you to make sure that you're prepared," Webb said.
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“What's unique about this storm as well is, not only could there be a lot of snow, but ice in addition to that, and that, of course, creates a whole other set of risk factors. Is that something that maybe people should be thinking about?" reporter Tyler Layne asked.
"Absolutely," Webb said. "We're going to have these freezing temperatures. This weather event has a lot of snow, but it also has a lot of ice with it. I'm a hospitalist by background. I take care of patients, and a lot of times we're seeing folks who suffer fractures because they weren't expecting to step out on some ice. So we want people to be really careful. That's why we're saying stay indoors if you can. If you must go outdoors, make sure your footwear has really good traction."
“If you do have a health emergency during this weather event. Is it your expectation that healthcare facilities will continue to be staffed and operating in the event of maybe a power outage or like we even saw in Richmond last year, a water outage?” Layne asked.
“What I know is that they've been doing everything in their power to prepare, and they've really thought through the range of scenarios on high alert for the last several days to make sure that they're properly staffed and they have the resources they need. They're preparing for every eventuality," Webb said. "Part of that emergency response is coordinating with hospitals, with care facilities, with all the folks who are involved in the care process, because we expect that there are some folks who are going to have ongoing or new healthcare needs during this, and we want to be able to reach them."
Something to keep in mind, Dr. Webb added, is that even when the snow stops falling, lingering freezing temperatures could still adversely affect your health.
To learn more about what you can do to ensure you're prepared for the winter storm, the Virginia Department of Health has compiled a list of recommendations on its website.
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