Preparing for Winter

"By failing to prepare you prepare to fail." Wise words from Benjamin Franklin and there is no better time to heed his advice than as we approach a season of cold and snow. According to the Farmer's Almanac the "days of shivery" are back with below average temperatures expected and significant snowfalls forecasted for parts of every geographic zone. In the Northeast the first ten days of February are flagged for possible heavy winter weather….ugh.

With this in mind it behooves everyone to pack up their homes and cars with supplies that could help them in a time of emergency. Below is a brief list of important items to stock up on in preparation for winter storms.

Car

• An emergency kit - Seems obvious but these kits are usually stocked with essential first aid kits, flairs/reflective triangles, jumper cables, flashlight, duct tape, and simple tools. AAA has a 73 piece kit that includes an air compressor and utility knife.
• Stuck in the snow - A folding shovel can be great to dig your car out of the driveway or out of a ditch. Speaking of getting out of a ditch, a tow strap and a box of kitty litter are great to have in the truck just in case. Snow socks fit over tires to increase grip enough to extricate a stuck car or get up a slippery hill.
• Windshield de-icer - De-icer can be used on your windshield as well as in emergences to melt ice on the road or frozen parts of your car.
• Keeping warm - If the de-icer and kitty litter didn't work to get you out of a tough spot you'll have to sit and wait for help. Packing a pair of hand warmers and a wool blanket can keep you warm since you won't want to run your car. And while you don't need long-term rations of food keeping a couple energy bars and sports drinks around will certainly make the time pass quicker.
• A spare phone charger - Keep your primary means of rescue charged with a spare charger. There are many options available which use the car battery but a hand-cranked charger is best in case the car battery is dead.

Home

• Exit plan - Just like in kindergarten when you were made to practice how to get in and out of the school, it's important to know the lay of the land in your own house. Does everyone know how to turn off the water or gas? Does everyone know where the circuit breakers are and which ones go to which part of the house?
• Stock up - It's great to have canned goods and bottles of water available in case of power outages or when it's too dangerous to go outside. But you don't want to eat old canned fruits and veggies so make sure you rotate through the cans in your pantry. They don't last forever.

• Light it up - Candles cause hundreds of fires a year during power outages. It's better to stock up on flashlights and spare batteries. Ultra-efficient LED flashlights are cheap and last a long time. Keep them in key places that are easy to get to.
• Heat it up - Fireplaces, kerosene space heaters, and combustion-based sources of heat are less than ideal, but when used properly can help keep you and your family warm until power is restored. A central furnace is best, but whatever you use make sure that it has been tested and cleaned before the storm.
• Emergency kit - Same as in your car, these kits can include everything listed above as well as some simple tools, duct tape, plastic bags (to cover drafty windows), and a folding shovel. Keep the kit in your house - it's not easy to dig out of the front door when your shovel is in the garage.
• A spare phone charger - Again, this is your best tool for emergency rescue. Even during power outages most phone networks still work, so keep your phone charged and invest in a hand-cranked charger just in case.
• Some other ideas are listed here.

So I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this winter will be mild like the last two years! But it's better to be safe than sorry so I'm going to stock up on the essentials in this list.

Any other recommendations for car and home emergency kits?

Stay Safe!