Winter Emergency Preparedness - Heres Comes Suzy Snowflake!
Posted: Wednesday, November 26, 2008
by Lorrie Streeter
Survival Street
It's that time of year again! Winter! It can be enjoyable with all the outdoor recreational opportunities it brings. It can also be dangerous when severe winter storms come roaring in bringing freezing temperatures, heavy snow, strong winds and poor visibility.
Snowstorms occur regularly every winter throughout the northern hemisphere. Although the first snowfall can cover the world in a beautiful blanket of sparkling white, as little as two inches (5 cm.) of snow is enough to create serious problems for traffic. (Of course children absolutely love it when a "snow day" occurs and they are forced to stay home.)
A few minutes worth of preparation can go a long way toward keeping you and your loved ones safe and comfortable when winter rears its snowy head. Residents should keep emergency items on hand in their homes, including at least 3 4 weeks worth of drinking water and canned and/or dry food.
If there is a power outage:
Turn off appliances, tools and electronic equipment (protect sensitive electrical appliances with a surge-protected power bar)
Turn the thermostat(s) for the heating system down to minimum
Turn off lights (leave one on to indicate power is restored)
Only open the freezer or fridge when absolutely necessary
Never use barbecues, camping equipment, or home generators indoors - they give off carbon monoxide
Use proper candle holders, out of reach of children. Never leave lit candles unattended - always extinguish candles before going to sleep
If power wires are damaged or on the ground, stay at least 10 meters away and call your electric company
Listen to your radio for information on the outage and advice from local authorities
Have a carbon monoxide detector in your home - a hard-wired one should have a battery-powered back-up
Motorists should avoid unnecessary travel. A break down or accident can be disastrous during harsh winter weather. If travel is unavoidable, always leave with a full tank of gas and a good set of winter tires. Be sure to listen for weather updates on local radio stations.
There are a few things you can do to prepare your car for winter:
Check the coolant for the proper mix of water and antifreeze
Check the oil recommendations in your car's owner manual
Check the battery electrolyte level
Replace your windshield wiper blades with snow blades
Keep a snowbrush/ice scraper in the car
Run the air to speed up window defogging (run AC at least once/month)
Stock up on windshield washer fluid and top off the washer tank regularly
Buy good snow tires
A few inexpensive items kept in your car during winter months can increase safety and reduce misery. Your emergency kit should include items that will assist you to get help, stay safe, and keep warm.
A well-stocked emergency winter supply kit should contain:
72-hour emergency kit with water and high energy, non-perishable food (chocolate bars are good, especially with nuts)
First aid kit
Battery jumper cables
Methyl hydrate (fuel line de-icing)
Shovel and tow rope
Bag of sand and/or salt (kitty litter also works)
Basic tool kit (screwdriver, pliers, pocket knife, adjustable wrench)
Compass
Hatchet or axe
Signal aids (flares, reflective triangle, distress sign, bright colored cloth)
Windshield scraper with brush
Extra window washer fluid and a 5 gallon tank of gas
Flashlight and extra batteries, or candles and matches/lighter (in a waterproof bag)
Crank radio (no batteries required)
Sleeping bags and/or blankets
Extra winter clothing hats that cover the ears (30 40% body heat is lost through the head), scarves, mittens (warmer than gloves), warm socks, boots
Money (including telephone change )
Fully charged cell phone to call for assistance - have a power adapter, extra charged battery and car charger
Store your emergency kit in the trunk if it is accessible from the inside of the car. If not, consider carrying your emergency kit in a small duffel bag and storing it in the passenger's footwell. This is easily accessed by the driver and won't become a projectile in a collision.
Getting trapped in a blizzard on county roads seems plausible, but why do city drivers need an emergency kit? In a large metropolis a big snowstorm can block freeways and trap drivers. It could take several hours to get traffic flowing again. Having an emergency kit can make the difference between potentially fatal hypothermia and a long, boring but relatively comfortable wait.
Play it smart this winter. Be Prepared Before Disaster Strikes!
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)A very good article with really sound advice, Lorrie. I live in Alabama where we rarely have such things, but I can remember one really devastating storm here. It is even worse when it happens here because virtually no one is prepared at all. We were extremely fortunate when the blizzard of 1993 (I think it was) hit. We have a natural gas floor furnace with a milliamp thermostat system that worked directly off the pilot flame and never once failed to keep us warm eventhough our electrical power was off for several days.
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