Are You Prepared for Winter? Home and Car Emergency Kits

Depending on where you live you may have a few different items that you have in your winter survival kit, but listed below are some of the main things to consider:
Home Winter Kit

• Food: Make sure that it requires no cooking or refrigeration in case there is a loss of power. Don't forget the babies and pets. Also make sure to have a non-electric can opener to open canned goods.
• Water: At least 5 gallons per person, more if you are in an area prone to have long periods of cold temperatures.
• Medicines: Extra medicine for anyone in the house on prescription medication.
• Heat: Have an alternate way to heat your home during a power failure such as a fireplace, woodstove or a kerosene heater. Store enough wood or kerosene to get through a long term power outage.
• Blankets
• Matches
• Fire Extinguisher
• First Aid Kit
• Flashlights or battery powered lanterns (don't forget extra batteries)
• Battery powered clock
• Snow Shovel if you live in an area with lots of snow
• Rock Salt
• Special needs items such as diapers

Getting Ready to Travel and Getting Your Car Ready for Winter
Being stranded in your car during a winter storm is something we all hope never happens to us, but it is best to be prepared. Make sure to have your car maintenance up to date such as the radiator system serviced, replace windshield wiper fluid with a winter time mixture and make sure that you have good tires with the right air pressure.
Also during the winter if you keep at least a half a tank of gas in the car it will help avoid ice in the fuel lines. (Although I recommend you ALWAYS have a half a tank of gas in the car no matter the season in cases of emergencies).
During the winter it is always best to pay attention to weather reports before you make any travel arrangements. If you have to travel during bad visibility or snow make sure you have your mobile phone with you. You should let someone know where you are going and when you expect to arrive so they can notify the authorities if needed.
Listed below are some things to have in your car during winter.
Winter Car Emergency Kit:

• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Emergency tire sealant such as Fix-A-Flat (I know this is bad for tires, but in an emergency it might make the difference between being stranded and getting home).
• Water and food such as high energy bars: If you wish to store a few cans of food in your car make sure you have a non-electric can opener.
• Collapsible shovel
• Tire chains (for those in really heavy snow areas)
• First Aid Kit
• Blankets
• Windshield scraper (although if you live anywhere it snows you already have this in your car)
• Booster Cables
• Road Maps
• Tool Kit
• Paper Towels
• Bag of cat litter or sand for traction if you get stuck
• Tow rope so if you get stuck someone with a larger vehicle can pull you out
• Additional warm clothes: You want to be able to stay warm enough if your car breaks down.

Most of the things listed above in the home emergency winter kit and the car winter kit you probably already have on hand or it is already with your emergency supplies. However, it is a good idea to go through this list and make sure everything is in working order or that you (or one of your children) hasn't removed an item from the kit or car.

Preparing in advance for winter and extreme cold weather you are assured of greater wintertime safety for you and your family.

Kristie Tadlock
http://www.fullmoonsurvival.com
Full Moon Survival is a family owned and operated business helping you and your family be better prepared, We offer a variety of emergency kits, food storage and survival supplies.