With winter in full swing, these cold months can produce some of the harshest weather conditions of the year. It’s important for us to look after our homes and businesses and to have plans set in place in the event of a severe storm.

There are many things we can all do to help brace ourselves for hazardous conditions. Basic safety tips, like staying away from and reporting downed electrical wires or keeping belongings at a safe distance from space heaters, can save lives.

Also, if you or anyone you know is left without power following a storm or blizzard, I urge you to contact National Grid. You can stay up to date on outages, interferences and problems in your area by calling their offices at 1-800-867-5222, downloading their app to your smartphone or visiting their website at www.nationalgridus.com/Upstate-NY-Home. I also encourage those with life-sustaining equipment within their home to call National Grid at 1-800-642-4272 to inform them ahead of time.

Should you have problems reaching your utility companies, please let my office know. I’ve been working to establish the independent state Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate to increase transparency and protect you from excessive rate increases, as well as make sure that these companies are doing all they can to better serve the communities they’re in (A.180-A). I’ll keep fighting to make this legislation law.

In addition, it’s also a good idea to have an emergency supplies kit, including 72 hours’ worth of food, water and other necessities in your home for unforeseen events. Lastly, if a storm is coming, make sure that you keep your phone charged as long as possible and you stay off the road unless you absolutely have to travel.

If a storm takes a turn for the worse and you are forced to seek shelter elsewhere, you should make a call to 211 to find a safe space outside of your home.

It’s my priority to make sure our community is safe throughout the holidays and winter season. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this or any community issue, please don’t hesitate to contact me at StirpeA@nyassembly.gov or by calling 452-1115.