Are You Prepared? 10 Wintertime Snow Emergency Tips

When it comes to nasty winter weather, are you and your family prepared? The time to think about preparedness is before the winter storm hits which for me…is at the beginning of the winter weather season.

Here are 10 wintertime snow emergency tips that I think you will find useful the next time you are preparing for a winter snow storm.

1. Have emergency supplies readily available at home. These supplies should include plenty of food (including items that don’t need to be cooked, incase you lose power), several gallons of bottled water and juice, batteries for flashlights, battery operated emergency weather radio, cell phone and a back up plan in place in case of an emergency.

2. Carry a small bag of salt or kitty litter in your automobile trunk…it will help with traction if you get stuck.

3. Carry a box of emergency supplies in the trunk of your car, such as: blankets, flares, bottled water, first aid kit, jumper cables, battery powered radio, snacks, etc.

4. If possible, bring all domestic pets indoors…if it’s too cold outside for you, it is too cold outside for them.

5. If you have to go out in cold snowy weather, dress in warm insulating layers. You want to make sure you keep your feet, hands and head protected from cold temperatures and frost bite.

6. Pre-treat your sidewalks and driveways with salt or chemical mixtures before the storm hits. Once the storm arrives, treat them again.

7. If you live in a dwelling that has a ‘fragile’ roof such as a mobile home or travel trailer, you will need to periodically go out and remove snow from your roof. If you let it pile up, you risk roof damage and cave-in.

8. When it snows…keep up on your shoveling. Go out every 2-3 hours and remove the fresh layer of snow. Don’t let it pile up to where it becomes heavy and unmanageable.

9. Shovel out all fire hydrants in your neighborhood so that emergency crews can easily find them and access them quickly.

10. If you don’t need to travel, then don’t! By going out to do things that can wait to another time, you are risking your life and those who travel with you.

When it comes to surviving bad winter weather and doing so in comfort and warmth, it is all about being prepared ahead of time and knowing what to do once the bad weather has arrived.

~ Keep Safe and Be Warm ~

Shelly