With continued winter weather in the forecast, prepare now!
If you plan on traveling, check the weather, road conditions beforehand, and make sure you have a car winter survival kit. Avoid travel if possible as you may be stuck in your vehicle for several hours. If you must travel, prepare for long delays and make sure your car kit is ready with extra food, water, and clothing.
In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel can be sources of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible odorless, colorless gas created when fuels (such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane) burn incompletely. Low level CO poisoning can often be confused with flu symptoms, food poisoning and other illnesses. Some symptoms include shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, lightheadedness, or headaches.
If you have fuel-burning heating equipment and chimneys, make sure they are inspected by a professional every year optimally before chilly weather sets in. When using a fireplace, open the flue for adequate ventilation. Never use your oven to heat your home.
Have a covered metal container to dispose of cooled ashes. To obtain a free ash can, residents may fill out an application, available at the Fire District Administration Office, 866 Oriole Way, Incline Village. If the required criteria are met, an ash can will be provided. Please visit our website for more information on our Ash Can program.
General Safety Tips to Consider:
- During and after a snowstorm, make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow build-up.
- Propane heaters, grills, gas-powered generators, and other combustion-fueled devices must not be used indoors or in any enclosed space.
- If you or a loved one think you may have been exposed to carbon monoxide poisoning or experienced any fire danger, please call 9-1-1 immediately.
- CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home and in other locations where required by applicable laws, codes, or standards. For the best protection, interconnect all CO alarms throughout the home.
- If the CO alarm sounds, immediately move to a fresh air location outdoors or by an open window or door. Make sure everyone inside the home is accounted for. Call 911 from a fresh air location and stay there until emergency personnel arrive.
- Be prepared for power outages. Make sure you have enough water, food, and supplies for at least 72 hours.
- If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not covered with snow.
- Adopt-A-Hydrant near you! By adopting a hydrant near your home or business, you are helping make our community safer. If you clear your fire hydrant three separate times and send us your information with photos to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., you will receive one of our commemorative holiday ornaments.
If you notice a fire hydrant that is not marked with a “FH” pole, please let us know by calling our Fire Prevention Bureau at 775-831-0351, ext. 8107.
If you notice a damaged or leaking fire hydrant, please call Incline Village General Improvement Public Works at 775-832-1203.
Please keep rooftops clear of excessive snow and watch for forming cornices that can pose a dangerous situation. Ask for professional snow removal services to help with this. We also recommend knowing where your gas meter is located and keeping it clear.
Helpful Contact Phone Numbers/Websites:
- NV 511 Traveler Information System - Call 511 within Nevada or 877-NVROADS outside of Nevada, https://www.nvroads.com/
- CAL TRANS Road Conditions – Call 800/427-7623, https://dot.ca.gov/travel
- Reno National Weather Service – Call 775/673-8100, Reno, NV (weather.gov)
- Sierra Avalanche Center – Call 7530/587-3558, ext. 257, https://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/forecasts/#/central-sierra-nevada
- Incline Village General Improvement District (IVGID) Public Works - Call 775/832-1203, https://www.yourtahoeplace.com/ivgid
- Washoe County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) - Call 775/328-3001, https://www.washoesheriff.com/
- North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District (NLTFPD) – Call 775/831-0351, https://www.nltfpd.org/
- Southwest Gas (SWG) Emergency Dispatch - 800/772-4555 (Northern Nevada and California), https://www.swgas.com/
- NV Energy - Call 775/834-4100, https://www.nvenergy.com/
- Liberty Utilities – Call 800/782-2506, https://libertyutilities.com/
- Emergency Washoe Regional Information Center – Emergency Washoe | Regional Information Center
- Code Red Emergency Alert Notifications https://www.washoecounty.gov/em/RegionalAlerts.php
IN AN EMERGENCY, CALL 911