York County residents stock up for snow; experts offer advice on being safe

Residents are scrambling for food, household items and ice scrapers ahead of the year’s first winter storm to hit the York County area.

Winter Storm Helena is expected to bring up to five inches of snow between Friday night and Saturday morning for most of Upstate South Carolina, according to the National Weather Service.

Officials issued a Winter Storm Watch Thursday morning, and Accuweather is forecasting as much as six inches of snow before it ends Saturday afternoon.

That’s caused a rush on local grocery stores, according to several reached by The Herald Thursday morning.

In addition to the typical “emergency” supplies of milk, eggs, bread and beer, customers are picking up everything from rock salt to batteries just in case the elements get too dicey.

There are plenty of people picking up snacks, according to Wanda Barnett, a manager at the Food Lion in Fort Mill.

“It’s mostly canned goods,” she said. “Not a lot of meats. They’re calling for the rain first, and a lot of time, the rain will come and it might freeze on the power lines, so people are looking out for that.”

There’s also been a pickup in paper plates and napkins, according to Michael Gleiss, with the Publix on Cherry Road.

Customers have flocked to home improvement stores like Home Depot to pick up ice scrapers, rock salt and more, according to Jaylin Smith, who works at the Rock Hill location.

He, like Barnett, said he hopes customers are able to pick up their supplies before Friday evening, when the snow is expected to fall on York County.

“Saturday will be a harder time,” said Smith. “But we’ll still have all of that stuff in stock, in quantity.”

Staying safe on the roads

No one can drive well on ice, according to AAA Carolinas.

That’s why they say to avoid unnecessary travel this weekend with the winter storm expected to bring ice, snow and freezing temperatures to York County.

Other tips include accelerating, decelerating and turning slowly. AAA Carolinas recommends keeping an emergency kit in the car, which would include an ice scraper, sand for traction, jumper cables and any needed medications.

Staying safe in your home

The American Red Cross says residents need to stay wary of in-home heating equipment to stave off the possibility of a home fire.

“Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fire deaths, and the risk of home fires increases in colder weather,” said Joe Hayes, executive director for the Red Cross of Northern SC.

“With the onset of winter in South Carolina, it’s more important than ever to be vigilant when it comes to personal safety and staying warm this winter.”

Other tips for staying safe in a winter storm include using gas wisely, keeping flashlights and batteries stocked and ready, and dressing in layers.

The American Red Cross recommends letting cold water drip from faucets to prevent frozen pipes, as well as keeping the thermostat to the same temperature both during the day and at night.

This story was originally published January 5, 2017 at 5:00 PM with the headline "York County residents stock up for snow; experts offer advice on being safe."