Subfreezing temperatures to hit Richland County

With the coldest weather of the season expected this weekend, Richland County’s emergency officials urge residents to take the necessary precautions to keep their families, pets and property safe.

“Our first hard freeze of the season is expected Saturday morning,” said Ken Aucoin, the County’s Chief Meteorologist. “Temperatures are expected to drop into the lower to mid-20s throughout Richland County.”

No precipitation is expected during this cold snap beginning Friday and lasting through Sundaymorning. The low expected Saturday morning is 23 degrees, followed by a low of 27 degreesSunday morning – a few degrees below the freezing point of 32 degrees. The normal low for this time of year is 37 degrees.

The County’s Emergency Services Department offers the following tips:

• Dress in layers of lightweight clothing. Wear gloves and a hat to help retain body heat.
• Bring pets indoors, if possible. If not, make sure pets have shelter to keep them warm and access to unfrozen water.
• Run water to help prevent pipes from freezing.
• Bring potted plants indoors, if possible. Cover outdoor plants.

The Columbia-Richland Fire Department urges residents to use extreme caution while heating homes, noting that some heating sources are the leading causes of residential fires. Safety tips include:

• Keep things that can burn, such as paper, bedding or furniture, at least three feet away from space heaters.
• Make sure all fuel-burning equipment is vented to the outside to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Turn space heaters off when leaving a room or before going to sleep.
• Clear the area around the fireplace hearth of debris, decorations and flammable materials.
• Always use a metal mesh screen with fireplaces. Leave glass doors open while burning a fire.
• Keep air inlets on wood stoves open and never restrict air supply to fireplaces.

For updated Richland County weather forecasts, tune in to RCTV, the County’s government access channel. RCTV is available on Digital Time Warner Channel 1302, Time Warner Channel 2 in some parts of the County and AT&T U-verse Channel 99. Also, follow Richland County on Facebook and Twitter, and keep track of the cold temperatures in your neighborhood at www.rcwinds.com.