What We’re Watching: 1/6/12

At the end of each week, we post a "What We’re Watching" blog as we look ahead to the weekend and recap events from the week. We encourage you to share it with your friends and family, and have a safe weekend.


Winter Survival
Many of you may be enjoying warmer-than-normal temperatures, but winter has only just begun. We thought this might be a good time to remind everyone to stay informed about potential severe winter weather you could face this season. Remember to check weather.gov (or mobile.weather.gov on your phone) for the most up-to-date weather forecast in your area.

And as we get ready for potential severe weather, including heavy snow or bizzard conditions, we’re always on the lookout for innovative tools to help all of us get prepared. With that in mind, we wanted to share a recent story on a new smartphone app called the Winter Survival Kit. Available for Android and Apple devices, this app serves as both a source of winter preparedness information and a beacon that can direct help to your exact location, call 911, update your friends and family, and even monitor how long your gas will last.

(And in case you haven't had a chance to download the FEMA app in either the Android or iTunes market, it's a great way to have invaluable safety information, find a nearby emergency shelter or disaster recovery center, and keep a list of the items in your emergency supply kit.)

But, no app can substitute for good, old-fashioned preparedness. Get ahead of the game now by visiting Ready.gov for more information on preparing for winter storms and extreme cold.

Editor's Note: FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.