CHARLOTTE — The Carolinas have started preparing for potential winter weather as a winter storm is expected to sweep across the region this weekend.

In Charlotte, Quan Johnson was stocking up on window insulators and firewood, working off the list his wife sent him Thursday.

“Just in case the power goes out, we want to keep everything nice and toasty for my 9-year-old,” he said. “I’m just getting started, we still have many more stuff to get. Might get more socks and all of that.”

[  ALSO READ: Mountain communities bracing for snow, ice from approaching winter storm ]

Duke Energy spokesman Jeff Brooks told Channel 9 Thursday crews from out of state will arrive Friday to stage vehicles and check equipment.

[  Report a downed power line to Duke Energy here ]

“Oftentimes, we’ll stage them in a central location in that region,” Brooks said. “And then, we can disperse them, you know, within just a couple hours to wherever they need to go.”

[  CLICK to report and check power outages ]

Others scooped up bread and milk from grocery store shelves.

Emergency crews spent Thursday loading up, too.

At Mecklenburg County’s EMS agency, MEDIC crews spent Thursday morning getting ambulances prepared for the winter storm, making sure they can get through icy and snowy conditions when people call for help.

“It’s been all hands on deck to make sure we are getting ahead of the storm,” said Dustin Edwards, the logistics manager at MEDIC.

They prepared de-icers and ice scrapers for crews. They also have 20 days worth of fuel on hand. The agency is already dealing with staffing shortages; it said it has administrators on deck to help respond to emergencies.

No, this is NOT sponsored by your local grocer. While forecast will still be tweaked, get prepped for Sunday #cltwx #snOMG pic.twitter.com/k3Woxy57EE

MEDIC is expecting an increase in accident calls and slip and falls, in addition to possible calls related to carbon monoxide.

“If families lose power and they bring in a gas grill to try to heat their homes, that’s a big no-no, don’t do that,” said Nick Howard, the assistant operations supervisor for MEDIC.

MEDIC told Channel 9 this would be the first winter storm where a majority of its ambulances have 4-wheel drive, instead of chains on the tires. Even still, first responders will be navigating the same treacherous conditions to get to those who need help.

Winter weather expected this weekend. Freezing precip & ice accumulations may cause power outages. Prepare ahead of time & make sure all alarms (Smoke & CO) are tested, are functional & have fresh batteries. Here's some safety tips! #CLTwx #OneTownOneTeam #BePrepared Thanks @NFPA pic.twitter.com/24ao2N523L

“Are our response times going to be longer than normal? It’s possible,” Howard said. “It all depends on the amount of snow and ice we get. We want to make sure citizens understand that. We have to be able to safely navigate to your house.”

Staying safe is one of the reasons Johnson said he was preparing early -- so his family could stay home and off the roads.

[  FORECAST: TRACKING: Rain, sleet, snow, ice -- what will winter storm bring to Charlotte? ]

In a statement the Charlotte Department of Transportation said crews started treating streets to protect drivers. Beginning Thursday, street maintenance crews pre-treated about 1,200 miles of road and 155 bridges and culverts in Charlotte’s city limits.

Crews loaded 35 trucks with spreaders and plows to be available over the weekend depending on the weather the city receives. Crews will report for duty over the weekend as needed, CDOT said.

>> CLICK HERE to see the City of Charlotte’s emergency plan for ice control and snow removal.

State officials are also preparing for winter weather conditions. Gov. Roy Cooper said residents should prepare now so they can avoid inconveniences and emergencies during the storm. Cooper said you should have a way to receive weather alerts -- which you can get through our WSOC weather mobile app -- keep an emergency kit stocked and ready, and prepare for potential power outages.

Travel isn’t advised, but if you need to get out, make sure you keep a winter emergency kit in your car, like an ice scraper, snow shovel, sand or kitty litter for traction.

We will start to see at least some minor impacts from the storm by late Saturday night with conditions going downhill rapidly through Sunday morning. Be prepared for all types of winter weather at this point (snow, sleet and ice.) pic.twitter.com/mXISFhcZUk

The N.C. Department of Transportation proactively plans for winter weather and has crews ready to clear roads, but driving during and after rain, ice or snow can still be dangerous.

The NCDOT told Channel 9 it is focusing pretreatment efforts on interstates in Mecklenburg and Cabarrus counties, and on the Monroe Expressway in Union County. State forces are applying brine on other bare pavement routes, including four-lane divided primary roads, then moving to secondary roads. Brine, a solution of water and 23% salt, is used to pretreat roadways in dry conditions when the temperature is above 18 degrees and can be applied up to 48 hours before a storm.

Although the guidelines on this page can help prevent a wreck, the only way to be certain is to stay off the roads.

First, don’t go out unless you absolutely have to. If you must:

Appearing as wet spots on a road, black ice is often the result of melting ice and snow that refreezes into thin layers.

Although NCDOT does its best to treat areas that are prone to black ice, it is unpredictable, and most of the time, drivers aren’t aware of it until it’s too late.

If You Start to Slide

American Airlines has issued a travel alert for customers traveling through 66 airports in the Southeast, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast portions of the U.S. Additionally, we are proactively cancelling select flight sequences this weekend (Saturday evening and into Sunday morning) to help ensure the resiliency of our operation and provide our customers additional certainty in their travels. A few other notes:

Heat sources such as space heaters, fireplaces or wood and coal stoves can pose a fire hazard, and fatal fires peak in the early morning hours when most people are sleeping. Home heating is the second leading cause of fires in the U.S. To reduce the risk of heating-related fires, the Red Cross recommends these steps:

If you must go outside, protect yourself from winter storm hazards:

· Wear layered clothing, mittens or gloves, and a hat. Outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent. Mittens or gloves and a hat will prevent the loss of body heat.

Stay off the road if possible, during severe weather. If you must drive in winter weather, follow these tips:

As winter storms move across the country, it is looking like parts of the Carolinas could also see snow or a wintery mix this coming weekend. AAA is encouraging drivers to be prepared and exercise caution as severe weather can be both frightening and dangerous for commuters.

“With the threat of snow and wintery mixes, we want to remind everyone to practice safety and be diligent behind the wheel,” said Tiffany Wright, spokesperson, AAA – The Auto Club Group in the Carolinas. “Rain, snow, and sleet can reduce your visibility, making it difficult to safely maneuver or even bring your vehicle to a complete stop if necessary.”

A winter weather advisory for snow means that periods of snow will cause travel difficulties. It’s important to be prepared for slick roads, limited visibility, and use caution while driving. Also, make sure your car is winterized and when faced with snowy or icy conditions, AAA recommends the following driving tips:

(WATCH BELOW: Avery County prepares for snow)

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