HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) — Winter is officially here. The Virginia Poison Center has advice to keep the community safe during the colder months.

During winter, as storms of rain or snow affect the region, be mindful when the power shuts off. Nor’easters, rain and snow storms can impact The Commonwealth, causing power outages. Then, people rely on tools like generators to stay warm.

“If you lose power, that generator has to be outside because the exhaust is going to contain carbon monoxide,” said Dr. Ruddy Rose, director of Virginia Poison Center. “And, unfortunately, we get a couple of bad cases every winter.”

Even space heaters and generators can cause problems if they use gasoline and kerosene for fuel.

“Those need to be kept in secure containers and out of sight and out of reach of children,” said Rose.

He reminded the community to make sure they are not putting toxic fuel fluids, including antifreeze, in unmarked containers.

“If you’re putting antifreeze in your car, don’t leave that antifreeze out,” Rose said. “Often, it’s lime green, and it looks sweet to a child and it can be very poisonous.”

Rose encouraged people to call the Virginia Poison Center. A specialist is available for assistance, and registered nurses are on standby 24/7. They can offer advice and let you know if you need to seek emergency care and where to go.

To contact the Virginia Poison Center, call the toll-free number, (800) 222-1222 or the local number, (804) 828-9123.

You can visit poison.vcu.edu to find online resources. Here are some listed, below: