News 12 at 11 o'clock, January 16, 2009

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C.---Temperatures are dropping, and overnight could reach as low as 11 degrees by Saturday morning. But remembering to do a few simple things right now could keep you, your house, and your pets safe.

A quiet, cold night started out as a pretty nice day with many people, like Kendra Scheck and her niece Savannah, taking advantage of the sunshine and 40 degree weather.

"When the sun's out, it's great!" Exclaims Kendra.

Even Kendra is getting ready for the frigid weather. She's already started working on her winter weather checklist.

First on the list -- taking care of your pipes. Many apartments have been reminding their residents to keep pipes dripping. Just a slight drip of water could save them from bursting.

Also leave your cabinets open so the pipes underneath the sink can get some heat.

Second-- don't forget about taking care of your pets. Mike McCready plans on making sure his dog, Keon, is inside. "Don't want to leave him out in the cold for too long, it's not healthy for him," says Mike.

Now if you can't bring them in, make sure they're house is facing away from the wind and that it's big enough to lay in but small enough to keep them warm. You also want to make sure they get enough food, a plastic bowl is better than a metal one when temperatures are in the teens.

And last, but not least -- make sure you turn off any automatic sprinklers. If water reaches those neighborhood streets, it will form a sheet of ice. So be careful, and also keep an eye out for ice on the roads.

"If it's something that's on an automatic system and they don't realize it so we want to make sure they're aware that the sprinklers should be turned off for safety purposes," says Rusty Welsh, with Columbia County Emergency Services.

A cold, quiet night, and with the help of a quick winter checklist, hopefully a safe one too.

Just a few simple things that could save you a lot of time, and money.

Something else you wanna keep an eye on are space heaters and electric blankets. Both can cause a lot of damage if they were to catch on fire. And be careful with extension cords, they can easily overload and spark a fire too.