By Alana Mauger

As Winter Storm Fern stretches across the country this weekend, millions of people are bracing for snow, ice and dangerously cold temperatures. Heavy snowfall is expected in the Greater Philadelphia area, making travel difficult to impossible and raising the risk of stranded motorists and extended road closures.

In Southeastern Pennsylvania and across the nation, Red Cross shelter teams are on standby, and supplies are being moved into place. More than 745 trained Red Cross responders are working with partners to support communities in the storm’s path. We’re also prepositioning blood products at hospitals to help ensure patients continue to have access to lifesaving care.

Locally, Red Cross logistics and operations teams set up shelter cots for our Biomedical laboratory employees who process blood and provide critical support to our community health care partners around the clock. They also fulfilled cot requests from several first responder agencies to help ensure essential personnel can continue their work safely during the storm.

Extreme Cold Temperatures

In addition to snow and ice, Winter Storm Fern will bring extreme cold, with single‑digit temperatures and below‑zero wind chills expected across many states.

As temperatures fall, the Red Cross typically sees an increase in home fires. Already today, local disaster volunteers assisted 19 people affected by home fires in North and West Philadelphia and are supporting a reception center operated by the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management.

Heating equipment remains a leading cause of home fires, with space heaters posing the greatest risk. If you must use a space heater, never leave it unattended. For more tips, revisit our home heating safety article.

Take Action Now

The Red Cross urges everyone to take a few simple steps before the snow begins to fall:

• Get access to weather info and alerts. Download the free Red Cross Emergency app for real‑time weather alerts, open Red Cross shelter locations and emergency safety guidance. Also sign up for your county’s emergency alerts: Ready Bucks, Ready ChesCo, Delco Ready,  Ready Montco and Ready Philadelphia.
• Gather supplies in case the power goes out. Assemble non‑perishable food, drinking water, medications, blankets, warm clothes, flashlights, batteries, phone chargers, power banks, a snow shovel and rock salt. Check out our survival kit checklist for additional ideas. Keep your phone and power banks fully charged ahead of the storm.
• Learn how to prevent cold-related emergencies. Frostbite and hypothermia can become life‑threatening quickly. Pay attention to the wind chill, dress in layers, wear a hat and gloves and avoid staying outside too long. Download our free First Aid app for step‑by‑step instructions for a variety of situations, including hypothermia and frostbite.

Revisit our winter storm safety and winter pet safety articles to brush up on tips to help keep your loved ones safe.

Severe Blood Shortage

The Red Cross blood supply remains at critically low levels. Winter Storm Fern is already causing widespread blood drive cancellations, leaving hundreds of donations uncollected locally and across the country. We encourage eligible donors to schedule an appointment now to give blood or platelets after the storm by visiting RedCrossBlood.org.