The City of Fishers offers the following information so you can keep yourself, your family, your pets, and your neighbors safe during the extreme cold over the next few days.
Stay informed
- For life-threatening emergencies, call 9-1-1.
- Sign up for Smart911, a tool Fishers’ public safety teams use to share information and updates and respond to households with the provided information. Enroll at smart911.com.
- To stay up to date on Fishers weather conditions or advisories, follow the City of Fishers social media accounts: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
- Visit fishers.in.us/Weather for latest information.
- Download the Hamilton County Indiana Emergency Management app available in your app store
- For non-life-threatening events, call 2-1-1 for assistance. Indiana 211 is a free service that connects Hoosiers with help and answers from thousands of health and human service agencies and resources right in their local communities. The website will include information on warming centers, shelters, and other cold weather resources available if residents need them.
Be prepared
To stay safe during extreme weather conditions, residents should be prepared and stay informed. Here are some tips to prepare for this week’s winter weather:
- Limit the amount of time outdoors. Extreme cold can lead to frostbite and hypothermia within 15 minutes.
- Create a safety plan in the event your power goes out.
- Avoid frozen pipes by opening sink cabinet doors and allowing cold water to drip from faucets, keeping garages closed, and disconnecting hoses.
- Do not use a stove or oven to heat the home. Place space heaters on a level, hard, nonflammable surfaces.
- Outside activities are not advised. If you plan to run, walk, sled, etc., dress in layers and notify others of your route. Be prepared.
- Park in driveways and off-streets so plows can easily go through neighborhoods to remove snow.
Elderly & vulnerable populations
- Vulnerable populations are encouraged to stay indoors and abstain from unnecessary travel.
- Check on your neighbors who are elderly, have young children, people living with disabilities, or who are sick.
- Do you depend on power for medical equipment? Create a power-loss plan that may include using a generator, visiting a warming center, or accessing family/friends with power.
- Individuals who require extra assistance in an emergency, are homebound, or have medical equipment reliant on power are strongly encouraged to register with Smart 911.
Winter weather driving
- Check tire pressure and clean wiper blades.
- Clean off snow and ice from your vehicle before driving.
- Check the weather forecasts and find alternate routes.
- Keep a safe distance from snowplows and other vehicles.
- Drive slowly and do not use cruise control.
- Watch for travel advisories issued by county and state officials.
- Keep a winter emergency kit in your car.
Winter emergency kit
- Handwarmers
- Extra socks and mittens
- Emergency blanket
- Reflective emergency triangles or lights
- First aid kit
- Cell phone power cord and power bank
- Ice scraper
- Flashlight
Power outages
In the event residents experience a power outage, residents may do the following:
- Contact your provider to report the outage. Duke Energy: duke-energy.com/outages or text ‘OUT’ to 57801; NineStar Connect: call (317) 326-3131 opt. 9, or visit ninestarconnect.com.
- Monitor status of outages at poweroutage.us.
- If you need non-emergency assistance, call 2-1-1.
- If you are medically or physically vulnerable and need assistance due to power outages, call 2-1-1 or dial 9-1-1 if it is a life-threatening emergency.
- If power outages are anticipated to occur an extended period, the City of Fishers will communicate emergency resources and support via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Smart 911.
Power outage safety
- Do not leave burning candles unattended or unmonitored.
- Generators and fuel should always be used outdoors and at least 20 feet away from windows, doors, and attached garages.
- If you need assistance, dial 2-1-1 for resources or warming center information.
Pet safety
- Keep pets away from space heaters, snow/ice melt, and other hazardous machinery.
- Bring your pets indoors and limit time outside.
- If pets must stay outdoors, per City Ordinance, when the temperature is 40 degrees or lower, shelter for animals must include sufficient, dry bedding material or other means of protection from the weather that will allow the animal to retain body heat when the weather is colder than what an animal of that breed and condition can comfortably tolerate.