Texans are bracing for another cold front that is expected to arrive this evening. While large amount of Texans will experience below-freezing temperatures, Alice is only expected to have one day with a low temperature below freezing.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has recently issued a Weather Watch in response to the winter storm. Although grid conditions are expected to remain normal, this is a precautionary measure to keep the public alert and informed.
The National Weather Service has also issued a freeze warning for Jim Wells County, from 3 am to 9 am on Tuesday, January 7. Residents are encouraged to bring plants and pets indoors during these frigid temperatures.
The Alice Fire Department recently put out a notice about safe practices during cold weather. According to the fire department, space heaters should always be placed on the floor and any combustible materials must be at least three feet away. It is never recommended to plug a space heater into a power strip, always plug directly into a wall outlet. Lastly, they urge residents with portable heaters to never leave them on and unattended under any circumstances.
The safety tips from the fire department also included information about portable generators. They are urging residents to not use portable generators indoors, because the carbon monoxide fumes are toxic and can result in death. Portable generators must be placed at least 20 feet away from your home or any building and they are not safe running in a garage, basement, or shed.
In addition to these winter safety tips, the Alice Fire Department is also urging residents to install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors inside their homes. Smoke detectors should be installed in every bedroom, while carbon monoxide detectors (CO alarms) should be installed on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is toxic when inhaled, it can only be detected by a CO alarm.
