INDIANAPOLIS —Indiana State Police are reminding Hoosiers that your car breaking down with temperatures as cold as they will get over the next 24 hours can be a life-threatening situation.
Breaking down on the side of the road isn't generally an emergency, but with wind chills between 20 and 40 degrees below zero, it could be deadly.
"If you have car trouble and find yourself broken down along the road, it is an emergency," ISP John Perrine posted on Facebook. "Not only is it acceptable to call 911, it's expected."
Indiana State Police and other agencies across the state are working to keep you safe during the extreme temperature drop and they will work to get to you as quickly as possible if you find yourself in a dangerous situation.
"We will dispatch officers to get yout o someplace warm and help make arrangements for your vehicle," Perrine said.
If you don't have to go out in the cold, police and other emergency personnel recommend staying at home during the extreme cold snap and waiting it out. But if you have to go out, be prepared and make sure you have an emergency kit in your vehicle.
That kit should include:
- Ice Scraper
- Windshield Washer Fluid
- Flashlight
- Blanket
- First-aid Kit
- Food and Water
- Jumper Cables
- Shovel
- Sand or Cat Litter
- Flares
