Shelters: With more than 100,000 homes without power, the state and city of Atlanta is providing warmth and housing in shelters. The Atlanta Police Department has precincts offering a place to find temporary warmth. In addition, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency is operating two shelters in Gwinnett County at the National Guard Armory, 261 East Crogan Street, Lawrenceville, and Maryam Masjid, 3650 Savannah Place Drive, Duluth.
Driving tips: Avoid driving for now if possible. But if you must drive, slow down. The posted speed limit is for driving on dry pavement. Stopping on any slick surface takes a longer distance. Keep three seconds or more between you and the vehicle in front of you.
Be gentle. Pretend there is an egg between your foot and the accelerator. This is the best way to maintain traction and avoid skids. Apply brakes gentler and allow yourself more time to stop.
Control that skid. If your rear wheels skid, simply steer where you want to go. If the front wheels skid, steer straight until you regain control. Take your foot off the gas in either case.
Be prepared. Winterize your safety kit and make sure you have it in the trunk of your car. The kit should include a flashlight, first-aid kit, water, blanket, wool cap, gloves, ice scraper and cat litter or sand to provide some traction on ice.
Storm damage: Snow and ice can damage your home and property. That's why you have insurance, but that still doesn't mean you won't have some work to do. State Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens offers tips.
In preparation for power outages: Be sure to charge your laptops, cell phones, e-readers and other electronic devices as long as power is available. If you lose power, here's some tips on dealing the possibility of food-related follow-out. The Georgia Emergency Management Agency, which has oversight of the state's response, also weighs in with suggestions.
On airport travel: If you're planning on flying out of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, be sure to check on your flight status before you head out. In addition to checking the airline websites for flight status, you can log on to www.fly.faa.gov for real-time information on airport conditions. Delta's Twitter account (@DeltaAssist) allows travelers to ask for help while they are traveling and get a quick response. The airline's website (www.delta.com) also has resources for travelers. Southwest Airlines recommends its travelers check www.southwest.com for all updates. "The information is being updated constantly," said Dan Landson, airline spokesman.
Storm Q&A: A reader asked how long will power be out. Our answer - While that is hard to answer, Georgia Power's chief emergency executive, Aaron Strickland, said that people should "be prepared to be without power for days." Much of Georgia will be slammed with sleet, ice, snow and high winds in the hours before daybreak Wednesday and there could be power outages that will rival the days thousands went without electricity in 2000, the National Weather Service said Tuesday. http://www.ajc.com/news/news/atlanta-weather-your-storm-questions-answers/ndK3g/
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