Single digit temperatures with strong winds have been forecasted for this Friday 12/23 and Saturday 12/24.  After that, low temperatures will be in the teens and low 20s until Wednesday 12/28.  Please review the below safety tips to keep your family, pets, and home safe through this frigid Christmas weekend.

- Cats and dogs should not be outdoors for extended times. Temperatures this low can quickly cause their body temperatures to drop, becoming life-threatening.  Any outdoor water or canned food will freeze very quickly. Make sure your generators have fuel and are in good working order.  The high winds forecasted for Friday could easily cause power outages, and the temperature in your home will drop quickly without heat.  Power outages should be reported directly to Amicalola EMC prior to Public Safety.

- If it rains Thursday 12/22, any wet areas remaining overnight will become ice.  Please be extremely cautious if you must drive Friday morning and be prepared to remain at home if the roads are too dangerous.  Email alerts will be provided if Public Safety becomes aware of threatening road conditions.  The Bent Tree Infoline at 770-893-2999 will also be updated during extended weather events.  

- Keep garage doors closed if you have a water heater or water supply lines in the garage. 

- Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.

- Drip cold water from your faucets, specifically those served by exposed/uninsulated pipes or pipes that run against exterior walls.  Even just a slow movement of water in your pipes can prevent it from freezing.  If you lose power, please stop dripping your faucets to preserve our water supply.

Public Safety hopes this information will help everyone have a safe and Merry Christmas.