Cautionary Notice: Snowfall and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Following the special weather bulletin regarding snowfall in the coming hours with a noticeable drop in temperatures, the General Directorate of Civil Protection calls on all citizens to increase their level of vigilance and caution to avoid casualties from various accidents and to follow the following guidelines and advice:

• Check or replace your windshield wiper blades, as rain, fog, and snow affect visibility.
• Make sure the windshield wiper water reservoir is full, so that you can clean the windshield regularly.
• You can also clean the headlights and taillights regularly, as well as the inside of the windshield and mirrors.
• Don’t hesitate to turn on the lights throughout the day because it is important that others see you and that you see others as well.
• Slow down and watch for pedestrians near the sidewalk.
• Monitor the condition and pressure of the tires, including the spare tire.
• Fuel up before a long journey. Even with a car in excellent condition, be mindful of your speed, especially at night and in case of rain or snow.
• Important items to have in your car in case of snowfall, if you have to spend several hours stuck in traffic, until the road is reopened, you should have blankets, gloves, a first aid kit with the necessary medications for people with chronic illnesses, a wiper for wiping windows and removing ice, a bucket of antifreeze, a flashlight, a safety vest and a warning triangle.

Regarding carbon monoxide poisoning, the General Directorate of Civil Protection reminds and calls once again upon all citizens to take extra precautions and to follow the following mandatory preventive advice:

• Never block ventilation openings to ensure continuous ventilation inside homes.
• Always ventilate your home when using heating appliances. Ventilate your home for at least 10 minutes daily.
• Do not close ventilation openings in homes, especially in areas where heating appliances or water heaters are located.
• Ventilate rooms when using heating appliances.
• Perform regular and ongoing maintenance on the various heating appliances by a plumbing specialist.
• Avoid using traditional methods such as ovens or cooking appliances as heating methods.
• Avoid using heating appliances in rooms and places that lack ventilation.
• Do not leave a car engine running in a closed garage.
• Using a carbon monoxide (CO) detector as an alarm

In case of danger, ventilate the place and immediately contact the Civil Protection on the emergency number 14 as well as the green number 1021, specifying the nature of the danger and the exact address in order to take quick and effective action.