Snowed in and can't shovel? What to do right now

First: are you safe inside?

Being snowed in is mostly an inconvenience as long as the house is safe. Check these before anything else:

• Heat and power. If the power is out and the house is getting cold, that changes the priority. Call for help sooner.
• Medication. Make sure you have what you need for the next day or two.
• Vents. High-efficiency furnaces and water heaters often vent through plastic pipes on the side of the house, near the ground. If snow buries them, exhaust can back up. DTE Energy advises keeping exhaust vents and air intakes clear so carbon monoxide cannot build up inside. If you cannot safely reach them, that is a reason to call someone now.
• Carbon monoxide alarm. If it sounds, get out and call 911.

Who to call, in order

1. Family, friends or a neighbor. Most snow-days get solved this way. Ask for the specific thing you need: the steps and a path, or the apron and one lane.
2. Your snow removal company. Text or email with your address and a photo, so there is a record and they can answer without calling back. See what to do when your plow does not show.
3. A snow company taking new clients. Many add properties mid-season where their routes have room. Ask where you would fall on the route.
4. Michigan 2-1-1. A free, confidential help line available around the clock that connects residents to local resources. Call 211 (or 844-875-9211), or text your ZIP code to 898211.
5. 911 for emergencies. A medical emergency, no heat in dangerous cold, or a carbon monoxide alarm. Emergency crews can reach you through snow; do not wait on a plow.

If a medical need is coming up

If you have dialysis, chemotherapy or another appointment in the next day or two, call the provider now, not the morning of. Ask about its weather policy and whether it can help with transportation. The same goes for medication deliveries and home care visits: let them know the driveway may not be clear.

If you absolutely have to go out

Clear the smallest possible path: the steps, a walk to the car, the apron and one lane. Push snow rather than lifting it, rest often, and stop at any chest discomfort. If you have heart disease or its risk factors, the American Heart Association advises having someone else do it. See shoveling and your heart.

Do not throw snow into the street. It is a civil infraction in Michigan under MCL 257.677a, and it builds the ridge that traps the next car.

Make sure the next storm goes better

When the weather clears, set up the thing that would have prevented today:

• A snow service with a written trigger and automatic dispatch, so nobody has to call.
• A seasonal agreement if a fixed winter cost is easier to plan around.
• The county chore program if you are 60 or older and eligible. Macomb Community Action's Chore Services requires reapplying each year. See snow removal for seniors.
• A family plan: who comes, and when, if the service is late.