As temperatures dip and winter weather forecasts start to include snow chances, Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves encourages residents to take steps ahead of time to prepare for possible bad weather. 

"We all know the weather can change rapidly in our area.  Rather than waiting to make preparations until significant winter weather is upon us, our agency encourages everyone to start those preparations ahead of time.  And it's important to not just limit preparedness to what you'd do if you're not able to get out of the house for a few days, but also be prepared should you slide off a roadway and be stranded in a ditch for a period of time," stated Sheriff Groves.

Some general winter weather tips and suggestions include:

• Try to limit the amount of time outside in the cold
• Wear plenty of layers of clothing, including socks, gloves, appropriate shoes and hats
• Work slowly when doing outside chores
• Use rock salt on icy walkways and steps
• Keep a charged phone with you and let someone know when you're traveling and the route you plan to take
• Check on elderly family and neighbors
• Make sure your tires are properly inflated
• Keep bottled water and a blanket in your vehicle in case you stall or go into a ditch
• Be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours. Plan on roadways being impassable and power outages.  Ensure you have adequate prescriptions, food and other necessities.

"In addition to the suggestions above, it's important to remember space heaters can be dangerous.  Almost every year, our local firefighters respond to fires caused by space heaters when the temperatures dip.  If you choose to use one, please make sure it is at least three feet away from anything flammable, plug the heater directly into the wall outlet rather than a power strip and turn it off before leaving the room or planning to fall asleep," concluded Sheriff Groves