State urges Ohioans to prepare for winter

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio officials say the freak October snowstorm in the Northeast was a lesson for Ohioans to start getting ready for winter.

Executive Director Nancy Dragani with the Ohio Emergency Management Agency says now is the time to winterize homes and vehicles, before the first big snowfall hits the state.

Gov. John Kasich has declared this week Ohio's Winter Safety Awareness Week. Officials say homes, schools, businesses and organizations should review safety plans and stock disaster supply kits to prepare for the possibility of snow and ice storms that can cause lengthy power outages. Dragani says in a statement that families should store several days' worth of food and water.

Last month's storm along the East Coast left millions of people in the dark, some for over a week.