Locations throughout the state of South Carolina have already experienced extremely cold temperatures so far this winter with more expected to come. Be prepared to protect yourself and your home during these periods of record-low temperatures.
To protect yourself and your pets during the extreme cold, remember to:
- Limit time outside.
- Dress in layers.
- Stay dry and change out of wet clothing to stop the loss of body heat.
- Cover exposed skin. Wear hats, mittens and scarves.
- Bring pets inside, or make sure they have warm shelter and unfrozen water.
To protect your home during the extreme cold, be mindful of the following:
- Run generators outside ONLY. The fumes can be deadly.
- Insulate water pipes and know how to turn off the water in case of a leak.
- Leave faucets dripping to prevent pipes from freezing.
- Disconnect water hoses and cover outside water spigots.
- Check smoke detectors.
- Use space heaters according to manufacturer’s instructions and keep them at least three feet away from flammable objects.
For more tips on staying safe during winter weather, visit Ready.gov and check out the South Carolina Emergency Management Division’s severe winter weather guide.
Facilities preparing for extreme cold temperatures this weekend
During the severe cold period this weekend and early next week, facilities will have staff walking main campus buildings to quickly identify any pipe bursts or issues Saturday morning through Sunday morning, including overnight hours. Do be not alarmed if you see facilities staff in buildings during this time.
The majority of Facilities staff will be engaged in freeze protection work on main campus and as a result, work on routine work requests may be delayed.
If you notice or become aware of issues in main campus buildings, please call 864-656-5450 immediately.