02/16/2026
Each year, as the season approaches, we like to post this article about winter storm preparation that was first published back in 2014 and has been updated over the years. We are posting this again as a public service for all our new residents.
Are You Prepared for Winter Storms?
The Angelus Oaks Community Association hopes that you and your family are prepared for winter, and winter storms. Following are some questions that are intended to help you and your family to be safe and secure as wintry weather approaches.
1) Your Home:
Are you winterized? If you burn wood for heat, do you have enough wood, or wood pellets, to keep your home warm for an extended period? Is your wood covered or otherwise sheltered from the elements? Have you stacked some wood close enough to your house to retrieve quickly and safely in case of extended inclement weather? If you don’t burn wood for heat, do you have enough propane in your tank to keep your home warm for an extended period? Have you turned off and drained outside water pipes and/or hoses and bibs? Are the water and gas pipes on your property insulated or buried deep enough to resist freezing? Is your house sufficiently insulated?
Are you prepared for a power outage? If you have a gasoline powered generator, have you started it yet this fall? Have you stored enough fuel to keep your generator running for a few hours…a few days…or up to a week or more? If you warm your house with electricity, do you have a back-up method for heating your house if you lose power? Do you have flashlights, and fresh batteries, at the ready? Do you have an “old-school”, plug-in phone? (Most modern cordless phone sets will not work without power.) Do you have enough food in your home to provide for you and your family for up to seven days in case of a severe weather event? Do you have water set aside in case of a service disruption? Do you have enough extra food in your home to feed your pet(s) in case of a severe weather event? Do you have extra prescription medications on hand?
Are you prepared to move, or remove, snow? If you have a snow blower, have you started it yet this fall? Do you have enough fuel to run it long enough to move all the snow that you need to? Do you have spare parts, like shear-pins, at the ready so that you can make repairs? Have you pre-positioned your snow blower so that you can get to it easily? Have you pre-positioned your snow shovel so that you can get to it easily?
2) Your Vehicle:
*On the highway: Are your snow chains ready to be deployed? Do you know where in your vehicle the chains have been stored? Have you looked at them since the last time that you used them? (Rust or debris may have built up that makes them harder to install.) Do you have a pair of gloves set aside with your chains to help you with their installation? Do you know what it means if the highway signs say road conditions are R-2 or R-3? Do you have a shovel in your vehicle? (You may need a shovel to help you dig yourself out of a snowdrift or berm that you inadvertently slid into.) Do you have a bag of kitty litter in your vehicle? (You can use kitty litter to help your vehicle get traction.) If you drive a pick-up, you might consider putting some weight in the bed to help with traction.
*In your neighborhood:
Do you know where you will park your vehicle(s) if there is a heavy snowfall? Do you know that parking on the street in such a way that blocks the snowplows can result in your vehicle being towed? Do you know what you would do if your driveway is too steep for your vehicle(s)? Do you know what you would do if a snowplow passes by and berms in your vehicle? Do you know how you will deal with the berms that may block your driveway after the plows have passed by? Do you know what you would do if you need to leave for work and the plows haven’t reached your street yet? Do you know what snow depth is needed to trigger the plows? Do you know who is responsible for plowing your street? Do you know who is responsible for plowing the highway?
3) Your well-being:
Do you know what you would do if you find yourself trying to drive in a “white-out” situation? What would you do if your vehicle slides off the highway? Do you have blankets, gloves, extra socks, snow boots, snacks and water in your car in case you need to wait for a rescue? What would you do if you’re coming home from work and the highway is closed? Do you know where you would stay for the night? What would you do if you’re coming home from work, and the highway is blocked or closed at less than a mile from your home? Should you abandon your vehicle and walk the final mile up the road? What would you do if you turn off of Highway 38 and find that your street (Spruce, Manzanita, Tripp or Mountain Home Creek Road) isn’t yet plowed? Do you know that the corners rise up off of 38 onto Spruce and Manzanita and those turns are particularly treacherous? Do you know that several streets in Angelus Oaks never get plowed? Are you prepared to walk home from The Oaks Restaurant if your street is not passable?
The Angelus Oaks Community Association appreciates you taking the time to read the above questions and we hope that you will use the checklist as a starting point for your personal winter preparation.
