08/16/2026
BEFORE the FIRST SNOW: 10 THINGS EVERY NORTHERN WISCONSIN HOUSEHOLD SHOULD DO THIS SEPTEMBER
September in Wisconsin can be deceptive. The days may still be warm, the leaves are beginning to change, and winter can feel comfortably far away. But anyone who has lived here long enough knows how quickly conditions can change.
September is one of the best months of the year to prepare your home and family for the colder months ahead. Waiting until the first winter storm appears in the forecast often means crowded stores, empty shelves, rushed decisions, and discovering equipment problems when you need that equipment most.
Preparedness doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. A few simple steps this September can make your household safer and far more comfortable when winter eventually arrives.
Here are 10 things every Northern Wisconsin household should consider doing before the first snow falls.
1. TEST YOUR HEATING SYSTEM BEFORE YOU NEED IT
Don't wait for the first 25-degree morning to discover that your furnace isn't working. Turn your heating system on and make sure it operates correctly. Replace or clean furnace filters, check vents, and consider scheduling professional maintenance if your system hasn't been inspected recently. If you heat with wood, inspect your chimney, fireplace, or wood stove and make sure you have an adequate supply of seasoned firewood. The goal is simple: discover problems in September rather than during the first cold snap.
2. CHECK SMOKE AND CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS
As furnaces, fireplaces, wood stoves, and supplemental heaters begin operating again, September is an excellent time to check every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm in your home. Press the test button on each alarm, replace batteries when necessary, and check the manufacturer's recommended replacement date. Carbon monoxide is especially dangerous because you cannot see, smell, or taste it. Properly functioning carbon monoxide alarms provide an important warning when something goes wrong with a heating appliance, fireplace, generator, or other fuel-burning equipment.
3. PREPARE FOR A 72-HOUR POWER OUTAGE
Imagine losing electricity tonight and not getting it back for three days. Would you have enough food? Water? Flashlights? Batteries? Prescription medications? Could you keep your phone charged? What would happen if temperatures dropped significantly? Use September to build or review a household emergency supply kit capable of supporting everyone in your home for at least 72 hours.
Include drinking water, shelf-stable food, flashlights, batteries, first-aid supplies, necessary medications, hygiene products, backup phone chargers, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, and supplies for pets. Don't build your kit around a particular disaster. Build it around being temporarily without the services you normally depend upon.
4. TEST YOUR GENERATOR – DON’T JUST ASSUME IT WORKS
If you own a portable generator, now is the time to test it. Start it, inspect extension cords and connections, review the owner's manual, and make sure everyone who may operate it understands how to do so safely. Never operate a portable generator inside a home, garage, basement, shed, or other enclosed space. Generators produce carbon monoxide, which can become deadly very quickly. Also consider your fuel supply. Having a perfectly functioning generator doesn't help much if you discover during an outage that you don't have appropriate fuel available.
5. WINTERIZE YOUR VEHICLE EMERGENCY KIT
Northern Wisconsin residents spend considerable time on rural roads where winter conditions can deteriorate quickly. Every vehicle should have emergency supplies appropriate for cold weather. Consider carrying warm blankets, hats, gloves, a flashlight, extra batteries, jumper cables, a phone charging cable, small shovel, ice scraper, traction material, basic first-aid supplies, drinking water, and nonperishable snacks. If you regularly travel long distances, drive rural roads, or commute during overnight hours, consider adding additional cold-weather clothing and supplies. A minor breakdown during summer can be inconvenient. The same breakdown during a January night can become an emergency.
6. DON’T FORGET ABOUT FALL SEVERE WEATHER
Preparing for winter doesn't mean September's weather hazards are over. Northern Wisconsin can still experience severe thunderstorms, damaging winds, hail, flooding, and even tornadoes during the fall. Make sure you have multiple ways to receive weather warnings, especially at night. Wireless Emergency Alerts, local alerting systems, weather apps, local media, and NOAA Weather Radio can provide valuable warning information. Everyone in your household should also know where to go if a severe thunderstorm or tornado warning is issued.
7. UPDATE YOUR FAMILY EMERGENCY PLAN
September means school, sports, activities, work schedules, and family routines are changing. Ask a few simple questions. How would everyone communicate if cellular networks were overloaded? Who would pick up the children if schools closed unexpectedly? Where would you meet if you couldn't return home? Who is your emergency contact outside the immediate area? Make sure children know important phone numbers and understand who they can safely contact during an emergency. An emergency plan doesn't need to be complicated. It simply needs to answer the questions your family would otherwise be forced to figure out during the emergency.
8. PREPARE PETS AND LIVESTOCK FOR COLDER WEATHER
Emergency planning should include every member of the household—including the four-legged ones. Keep extra pet food, medications, water, carriers, leashes, identification information, and other necessary supplies available. For households with livestock, September is also a good opportunity to consider backup water supplies, feed availability, shelter, transportation, and what would happen during an extended power outage or severe winter storm. Planning becomes particularly important when electrically powered pumps, heaters, ventilation, or watering systems are involved.
9. INSPECT YOUR PROPERTY BEFORE WINTER
Walk around your property while the weather is still comfortable. Look for damaged or hanging tree limbs, clogged gutters, loose roofing or siding, drainage problems, and other conditions that could become much larger problems during high winds, heavy snow, or freezing temperatures. Pay particular attention to trees near your home, driveway, outbuildings, and utility lines. Never attempt to trim trees near energized power lines yourself; contact the appropriate utility or a qualified professional. A thirty-minute inspection in September may prevent an expensive emergency later.
10. STOCK UP BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE DOES
One of the easiest preparedness strategies is also one of the most overlooked: buy emergency supplies before they're urgently needed. When a major winter storm appears in the forecast, thousands of people suddenly begin looking for the same things—batteries, flashlights, generators, bottled water, propane, food, ice melt, and other supplies. September gives you the advantage of time. Instead of purchasing everything at once, add a few preparedness items to your normal shopping trip each week. Check expiration dates, replace supplies you've used, recharge battery packs, and replenish medications and household necessities. By the time winter arrives, you'll already have what you need.
DON’T WAIT FOR THE FORECAST
Emergency preparedness isn't about expecting the worst. It's about making ordinary disruptions easier to manage. A winter storm doesn't have to become a household crisis. Neither does a power outage, furnace failure, vehicle breakdown, or severe thunderstorm. The difference often comes down to what was done before the emergency happened.
September gives Northern Wisconsin residents something extremely valuable: time. Time to test equipment. Time to repair problems. Time to purchase supplies. Time to make plans. And time to have conversations with family members before decisions have to be made under pressure. Pick two or three items from this list and complete them this weekend. Then tackle a few more next weekend. By the time the first snowflakes begin falling across Northern Wisconsin, you won't be standing in a crowded store searching for supplies. You'll be ready.
Stay Safe,
Michael Judy, Director
Office of Emergency Management
Barron County Sheriff’s Department
[email protected]
