Subzero temperatures threaten Southeast Wisconsin; how to beat the cold

WISCONSIN (CBS 58) -- City workers geared up for the subzero temperatures and heavy snow Thursday, with some agencies calling for all hands on deck ahead of the threatening storm.

"We've been keeping an eye on this forecast for the last couple of days, and we will continue to as it continues to evolve," said Alison Trouy, a spokesperson with We Energies.

We Energies workers on Milwaukee's north side prepared for what is shaping up to be a serious weather event.

The energy company said they prepared for every scenario Mother Nature could have.

"It's hard to predict where we are going to have, if we are going to see outages at all," said Trouy.

While city crews prepared their machines, area businesses mapped out their game plan ahead of the frigid temperatures.

"Your heating system is going to work a lot harder this time of year," said Travis Herzog, an employee with Midwest Heating and Cooling.

Herzog went on to say this bout of arctic weather could pose a problem for your heating units.

"It's really important for people to be knowledgeable and know that, hey, this isn’t normal, it's (furnace) not operating correctly. Or, hey, the heat coming out is a little bit colder than it should be," said Herzog.

The technician said ahead of the cold, you should check your furnace for any problems.

"Make sure that filter is clean, make sure that it's operating and sounding right and feeling right, and the heat's coming out properly," said Herzog.

We Energies said if you find yourself powerless, these are several things you can do to survive the cold.

"We also recommend that people put together emergency kits, so have blankets, flashlights, batteries, and even portable phone chargers that can help as well," said Trouy.

For a list of We Energies power outages, click the link here.